Niobium disilicide formation by rapid thermal processing: Resistivity-grain growth correlation and the role of native oxide.

Investigates the formation of niobium (Nb)-silicon (Si) from Nb/Si using relative frequency sputtering and rapid thermal processing. Correlation of the variation of the sheet resistance versus annealing temperature and grain growth; Application of x-ray powder diffraction and Auger depth profiling; Effect of contamination by oxygen on the silicide growth.