Suppression of Reaction between Si Substrate and Obliquely Deposited Fe Atoms

ABSTRACTWe have investigated the initial stage of the growth of obliquely deposited Fe on a Si substrate held at 470 °C with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and high resolution Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (HRBS). During the deposition from the normal direction, many Si atoms are displaced from their lattice position due to the reaction with the deposited Fe. On the contrary, the number of displaced Si atoms decreases significantly, and the nanoislands of a few 10 nm in diameter grow selectively when Fe is deposited at 85°. This is clear evidence that the local nucleation processes for the Fe silicide formation is modified by the geometrical deposition conditions.