Solid state reactions in cobalt/amorphous-silicon multilayer thin films

Inter-diffusion of cobalt and silicon through an ultra thin aluminum oxide layer

“…The observed grain could be an inter-metallic Co x Si y compound formed after cobalt diffusion across the oxide barrier. According to Shim et al [17], the activation energy for the formation of CoSi (1.71 eV) is smaller than that required for the formation of Co 2 Si (2.34 eV). This implies that the nucleation barrier of CoSi is rather low and thus we assume CoSi to be the first crystalline phase formed.…”

X-ray photoelectron study of annealed Co thin film on Si surface

“…However, many other authors have reported that CoSi is the first phase formed among the several phases of Cobalt silicides. [14,15]. However, Co 2 Si as a first phase of Cobalt silcides is also reported in the literature [16].…”