Surface, structural, and electrical properties of C54 T{i}S{i}₂ thin films grown on n -Si (100) substrates by using high-temperature sputtering and one-step annealing

Abstract

The surface, the structural, and the electrical properties of C54 T{i}Si₂ thin films grown on n-Si (100) substrates by using a high-temperature sputtering and one-step annealing method were investigated to produce Ohmic contacts with low specific contact resistances. Atomic force microscopy images showed that the surfaces of the annealed C54 T{i}Si₂ thin films grown on the n-Si (100) substrates became smooth due to the increase in the substrate temperature. Scanning electron microscopy images, energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence, and X-ray diffraction patterns showed that thin layers were C54 T{i}Si₂ polycrystalline films. Current-voltage measurements showed that the specific contact resistance of the C54 T{i}Si₂/n-Si (100) heterostructures decreased dramatically with increasing substrate temperature. These results indicate that C54 T{i}Si₂ thin films grown on the n-Si (100) substrates by using the high-temperature sputtering and one-step annealing method hold promise for potential applications in Si-based ultra-large-scale integration devices.