Thermal Stability of Platinum Silicide in Deep Sub-Micron Lines

Abstract

The properties of platinum silicide have been evaluated in the form of blanket films and confined lines with linewidth down to 0.15 μm. Pt films, ranging in thickness from 150Å to 1000Å, were prepared by sputter-deposition onto Si (100) blanket substrates or substrates patterned with windows of various sizes in SiO₂. The samples were then annealed in a rapid thermal annealing system up to 550°C to form PtSi. The sheet resistance of silicide lines did not change significantly with linewidth. The thermal stability of the sheet resistance of PtSi was also measured for different linewidths and film thicknesses. The sheet resistance remained stable on annealing up to 850°C for a silicide film made of 250Å Pt and did not appear to be sensitive to the linewidth. The thickness dependence of the thermal stability of resistance was also evaluated.

The stress of the silicide films was measured using a laser deflection system. The asdeposited metal films were under compressive stress, but the stress turned into tensile upon annealing when silicide started to form. After PtSi was formed, the stress remained stable with annealing temperature until approximately 900°C when the stress exhibited a sharp decrease. Unlike electrical conductance, however, the breakdown temperature for stress did not strongly depend on the film thickness.