First-principles study of nickel-silicides ordered phases

We present a study of nickel-silicides ordered alloys by means of first-principles calculations. Emphasis was put on the phases (low and high temperatures) identified in the binary phase diagram, namely: Ni3Si-β1, -β2, and -β3, Ni31Si12-γ, Ni2Si-δ, -θ, Ni3Si2-ɛ, NiSi-MnP and NiSi2-α. In addition, some common structures are computed for information: L12, D03 and D022. The simulations reproduce with a high accuracy lattice parameters and formation energies of main experimental structures, except for β2 and β3. Our results clarify the crystallographic nature of the γ structure, and the comparison of experimental Raman spectra and vibrational calculations will help experimentalists to identify without ambiguity NiSi3 structures.

Research highlights▶ Ni–Si alloys used as metallic contacts in CMOS. ▶ First principles study of structural and formation energies of main nickel-silicides ordered alloys. ▶ Good agreement between DFT simulations and experimental data.