Platinum diffusion into silicon from PtSi

Abstract

We have observed platinum diffusion into the silicon underlying a PtSi film. Silicon substrates covered with platinum films were annealed at temperatures from 300 to 800°C to form the silicide. Backscattering spectrometry spectra show no degradation of the silicide in the samples treated below 700°C. Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) was used to measure diffused platinum electron traps. Electron trap concentrations in samples treated below 700°C are below the DLTS detection limit of 5×10^11/cm^3. Trap concentration profiles for the samples annealed at higher temperatures were obtained. These profiles cannot in general be explained by simple diffusion from an infinite source of platinum at the surface.