Abstract
We analyze the formation of VSi2 at the amorphous-vanadium-silicide/amorphous-Si interface by linear-heating and isothermal calorimetry, and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. We show evidence that indicates sporadic VSi2 nucleation with a steady-state nucleation rate after a transient period. The results are contrasted with those obtained for Al2Ni nucleating at the polycrystalline-Al/polycrystalline-Ni interface, where the kinetics appears to be controlled by growth of a fixed number of nuclei at quickly consumed preferred nucleation sites.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
J. W. Mayer and S. S. Lau, Electronic Materials Science (Macmillan, New York, 1990).
M-A. Nicolet and S. S. Lau, in VLSI Electronics Microstructure Science, edited by N. G. Einspruch and G. B. Larrabee (Academic Press, New York, 1983).
W. L. Johnson, Prog. Mater. Sci. 30, 81 (1986).
F. M. d’Heurle, J. Mater. Res. 3, 167 (1988).
K. R. Coffey, L. A. Clevenger, K. Barmark, D. A. Rudman, and C. V. Thompson, Appl. Phys. Lett. 55, 852 (1989).
C. V. Thompson, L. A. Clevenger, R. R. DeAvillez, E. Ma, and H. Miura, in Thin Film Structures and Phase Stability, edited by B. M. Clemens and W. L. Johnson (Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 187, Pittsburgh, PA, 1990), p. 61.
A. M. Vredenberg, J. F. M. Westendorp, F. W. Saris, N. M. van der Pers, and Th. H. de Keijser, J. Mater. Res. 1, 774 (1986).
W. J. Meng, C. W. Nieh, E. Ma, B. Fultz, and W. L. Johnson, Mater. Sci. Eng. 97, 87 (1988).
L. A. Clevenger and C. V. Thompson, J. Appl. Phys. 67, 1325 (1990).
L. A. Clevenger, C. V. Thompson, R. R. DeAvillez, and E. Ma, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A8, 1566 (1990).
L. A. Clevenger, C. V. Thompson, A. Judas, and K. N. Tu, in First MRS Int. Meeting Adv. Mater., edited by T. Ohno and R. Yamamoto (Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. IMAM-10, Pittsburgh, PA, 1989), p. 431.
E. Ma, C. V. Thompson, and L. A. Clevenger, J. Appl. Phys. 69, 2211 (1991).
E. Ma, C. V. Thompson, and L. A. Clevenger, in Kinetics of Phase Transformations, edited by M. O. Thompson, M. J. Aziz, and G. B. Stephenson (Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 205, Pittsburgh, PA, 1991).
P. A. Psaras, M. Eizenberg, and K. N. Tu, J. Appl. Phys. 56, 3439 (1984).
J. W. Christian, in The Theory of Transformations in Metals and Alloys, 2nd ed. (Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1975).
K. F. Kelton, A. L. Greer, and C. V. Thompson, J. Chem. Phys. 79, 6261 (1983).
C. V. Thompson, A. L. Greer, and F. Spaepen, Acta Metall. 31, 1883 (1983).
P. G. Boswell, J. Thermal Anal. 18, 353 (1980).
E. Ma, M-A. Nicolet, and M. Natan, J. Appl. Phys. 65, 2703 (1989).
S. M. Heald and E. V. Barrera, J. Mater. Res. 6, 935 (1991).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ma, E., Clevenger, L.A. & Thompson, C.V. Nucleation of an intermetallic at thin-film interfaces: VSi2 contrasted with Al3Ni. Journal of Materials Research 7, 1350–1355 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1992.1350
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1992.1350