Interfacial reaction between amorphous silicon and palladium thin films

Interfacial reactions between amorphous Si and Pd films of thickness of 1, 5, 50 and 200 nm in the as-deposited state and after annealing from 200 to 500°C have been studied by transmission electron microscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. An amorphous phase is observed in the as-deposited state in samples of 1 nm Pd on α-Si, yet Pd2Si is observed in the as-deposited and annealed states in thicker films. The growth of Pd2Si from 200 to 235°C is diffusion controlled with an activation energy of 1.25 eV. Enhanced crystallization of remaining α-Si in contact to Pd2Si occurs between 400 and 500°C. © 1985.