Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
The mechanism of the narrow line effect in TiSi2, films on highly As-doped diffusion layers is studied by TEM observation of grains in the TiSi2. The narrow line effect is shown to be due to an enlargement of the TiSi2, grain size caused by regrowth of the pre-amorphized regions before the start of silicidation. Knocked-on oxygen from the SiO2 cover layers is found to delay the onset of the silicidation.