AVS 52nd International Symposium
    Applied Surface Science Monday Sessions
       Session AS-MoP

Paper AS-MoP2
Unusual Interdiffusion Reactions in Multilayer ZrO@sub 2@CaO/Fe/Si Thin Films

Monday, October 31, 2005, 5:00 pm, Room Exhibit Hall C&D

Session: Aspects of Applied Surface Science Poster Session
Presenter: H. Piao, General Electric Co., Global Research Center
Authors: H. Piao, General Electric Co., Global Research Center
L. Le Tarte, General Electric Co., Global Research Center
L. Denault, General Electric Co., Global Research Center
J.R. Cournoyer, General Electric Co., Global Research Center
K. Dovidenko, General Electric Co., Global Research Center
M. Larsen, General Electric Co., Global Research Center
J. Osaheni, General Electric Co., Global Research Center
Correspondent: Click to Email
Interdiffusion reactions in multilayer ZrO@sub 2@CaO/Fe/Si thin film (2mm diameter dot) have been studied using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) in combination with Scanning Auger Microscopy (SAM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The 2mm diameter thin film dots were prepared through a shadow mask by depositing Fe and ZrO@sub 2@CaO sequentially on silicon substrates, followed by thermal treatments. It was found that heating at elevated temperatures resulted in the segregation of the islands on the substrate with the accompanying formation of irregular shaped pits in the film. The diameters of the islands are typically in the range from 100 to 250nm. XPS and SAM results on these islands indicated that the islands are mainly iron silicide coated with Fe, Zr-Ca and Si oxide towards to the surface. The formation of the interfacial iron silicide (FeSi@sub 2@) arising from the bulk interdiffusion of Fe and Si were confirmed by XPS, TEM, and SAD (selected area diffraction) studies. Much more surprising is the surface enrichment of silicon oxide on the whole dot surface. The fast segregation of silicon from the substrate to the surface does not appear to be via bulk interdiffusion. The implications of these findings to the diffusion properties of the thin film will be discussed.