Effect of substrate temperature on the microstructure of thin-film silicide

The effect of substrate temperature Ts during evaporation on the microstructure of Pd2Si thin films on (111) Si formed by evaporation followed by subsequent higher-temperature anneal has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy. For Ts of 20 and 100 °C, the Pd2Si grows epitaxially on the substrate. For a Ts of 200 °C the Pd2Si is polycrystalline and grains are uniaxially textured about the [001] axis and there are pinholes in the film. For a Ts of 300 °C, the microstructure of Pd2Si is spongy and grains are much less oriented.