On the Adhesion of LPCVD WSi 2 to Doped and Undoped Polysilicon

We report on the adhesion characteristics of Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposited (LPCVD) WSi2 to doped and undoped polysilicon when used for fabricating silicon discreie and integrated devices. About 3000A of silicon rich (Si:W atomic ratio of 2.6) LPCVD WSi2 was deposited on 6 kA of polysilicon and annealed in nitriding and oxidizing ambients at various temperatures from 1000°C to 1100°C to lower the sheet resistance. Detailed material analyses of as-deposited and annealed polycides were performed using Auger, SIMS, RBS, TEM, and SEM and electrical conductivities of the films were measured using the four point probe. In some samples, the oxide grown on the silicide film was wet etched prior to implanting and diffusing As corresponding to the source/drain diffusions in power FET’s. It was observed that polysilicon doping, WSi2 deposition and annealing, oxide or nitride etching, implantation and diffusion of As - all had significant impact on the grain structures of silicide and polysilicon, adhesion of the silicide film to polysilicon, and the electrical conductivity of the silicide. In samples where the oxide grown on the silicide was wet etched, enhanced grain boundary related oxidation of the silicide and polysilicon and seepage of the wet etchant through sequential etching of grain boundary oxide resulted in poor adhesion of WSi2 grains to polysilicon and eventual silicide peeloff. This problem was severe in samples which were not implanted with As but subjected to 900°C, 60 min. source drive.