Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
Low resistivity TiSi2, CoSi2 and NiSi are the three primary candidates for metal contacts in sub-0.25 μ m devices. In the present paper, we review recent progress in the investigations of lowresistivity contacts, which include enhanced formation of C54-TiSi2 on (001)Si by tensile stress, high temperature sputtering, and interposing Mo or TiN layer, improved thermal stability of C54-TiSi2 by the addition of N2 during Ti sputtering or N implantation in (001)Si, self-aligned formation of CoSi2 on the selective epitaxial growth silicon layer on (001)Si, effects of stress on the epitaxial growth of CoSi2 on (001 )Si, improvement of thermal stability of CoSi2 by nitrogen ion implantation or high temperature sputtering, and improvement of thermal stability of NiSi by nitrogen ion implantation or compressive stress.