On the microstructure and interfacial properties of sputtered nickel thin film on Si (1 0 0)

Ni films of thickness ranging from 150 to 250 nm were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering on to Si (100) substrates maintained at room temperature and followed by post-annealing at 300 and 500 °C for 30 min. Other set of Ni films were deposited on to Si (1 0 0) substrates held at annealing temperature of 300 and 500 °C for 30 min. Microstructural investigation by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) revealed columnar morphology with voided boundaries for films deposited at room temperature and was retained after post-deposition annealing at higher temperatures. Nickel silicide formation with isosceles triangle diffusion front was confirmed by cross-sectional high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (X-HRTEM) for post-annealed Ni films. Thin film deposited at high substrate temperatures having near-equiaxed structure found to be the best route to fabricate thin films without silicide formation.