The effects of reactive precleaning (RPC+) on the formation of titanium silicide by PECVD TiCl/sub 4/-Ti deposition, and its thermal stability

We have performed the defect characterization of Reactive Precleaning (RPC+), an in-Situ precleaning prior to PECVD TiCl/sub 4/-Ti deposition, compared its cleaning efficiency with HF wet cleaning, and evaluated thermal stability of the silicide. RPC+ was found to be a defect free cleaning process, and TiCl/sub 4/-Ti deposition with in-Situ RPC+ results in thicker silicide on the undoped, n/sup +/, and p/sup +/-Si substrate due to the interface cleanliness. It was observed by TEM and XRD that the Ti-silicide with RPC+ has highly textured C49 phase. Finally, RPC+ improves the thermal stability of the silicide.