Atomic diffusion and interface reaction of Cu/Si (111) films prepared by ionized cluster beam deposition

Abstract Cu thin films were deposited on P type Si (111) substrates by ionized cluster beams at different acceleration voltage. The interface reaction and atomic diffusion of Cu/Si (111) system were studied at different annealing temperatures by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). Some significant results were obtained. For the Cu/Si (111) samples prepared by ionized cluster beams at V a  = 1 and 3 kV, the interdiffusion of Cu and Si atoms occurs in the as deposited samples. For the Cu/Si (111) samples prepared by ionized cluster beams at V a  = 5 kV, the interdiffusion of Cu and Si atoms occurs when annealed at 450 °C. The formation of the copper silicides phase was observed by XRD in all the samples annealed at 450 °C and 600 °C.