In situ combined synchrotron X-ray diffraction and wafer curvature measurements during formation of thin palladium silicide film on Si(0 0 1) and Si (1 1 1)

Palladium-silicon (Pd-Si) is a model system for investigating stress development during solid state reaction because of the formation of one single phase (hexagonal Pd2Si). In this work we have measured simultaneously the curvature of the substrate and the diffracted signal from the films during reactive diffusion of thin Pd (50 nm) films with Si(0 0 1) and Si(1 1 1) substrates. This combined experiment allows monitoring in situ stress, strain, orientation, microstructure and kinetics during the growth of Pd2Si. A striking contrast appears when comparing the two systems Pd/Si(1 1 1) and Pd/Si(0 0 1). These differences in stress buildup, relaxation and growth kinetics are related to the crystallographic texture of the silicide films.