Experimental Aspects of Metal Particle Diffusion on a Silicon Surface

Abstract

Silicon-based technology dominates the chip industry, even if new materials are continuously appearing, showing better parameters for particular applications. The reason for this is that silicon seems to be the best option for most uses in the field of electronics, and this fact has provoked an enormous interest on the part of scientists for more than 50 years. The VLSI process has focused attention on two technologically important points to solve: reduction of the thermal load during the production of metal contacts and Schottky barriers, and the development of nano- or quasi-one-dimensional (ID) wires connecting the particular elements. Both these tasks are associated with the well-known physical phenomenon of surface diffusion, which is the limit to further miniaturization [1]. Surprisingly, there are not many experimental data available for the diffusion of metals on silicon surfaces at low coverage [2].