ABSTRACTStresses in chemical vapor deposited polycide tungsten silicide (poly-Si/WSi2) wereevaluated at each stage of fabrication. The individual layers of the Si/SiO2/Poly-Si/WSi2/Poly-Si multilayer structure were deposited sequentially on separate wafers and subjected to x-ray diffraction analysis in the as deposited and annealed conditions to determine the changes in strain occurring in WSi2. Samples cut from wafers containing all the layers were capped with a 25nm thermal oxide and the strain in the WSi2 film was also analyzed by XRD. The change in strain of the WSi2 layer, following each step of the fabrication process, was evaluated by the lattice parameter variation of the c axis. The layers of the multilayered film affect the stress in the WSi2. A poly-Si layer on top of WSi2 reduces its stress, since it introduces a compressive component, which further decreases upon annealing. It also maintains a Si supply at the poly- Si/SiO2 interface, thus, eliminating Si outdiffusion during heat treatment in an oxygen containingambient. Capping the system by a thin oxide layer modifies the stress pattern of the WSi2, which becomes compressive.
