Study on the solid state reaction between bilayered Pd/Au films and silicon substrates

Bilayers of pure palladium and gold films were evaporated alternatively on (1 0 0) and (1 1 1) monocrystalline silicon substrates. After annealing, in a vacuum furnace from 100 to 650 °C during 30 min, the growth sequence of the Pd2Si and PdSi phases that evolved as the result of the diffusion reaction was examined by means of Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), whereas the surface morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique. The effect of the intermediate gold layer is investigated in order to test its effectiveness as barrier for Cu and Si atoms interdiffusion and its influence on the morphology of the formed palladium silicides. The effect of substrate orientation on the palladium silicides growth and formation was also explored.