Annealing behavior of evaporated Mo films—Direct observations by SEM

Annealing behavior of molybdenum films 320–4900 Å thick deposited by the e-gun evaporation method on a silicon dioxide layer has been investigated directly by means of a high-resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM). The grain growth of Mo films occurs drastically at 900 °C annealing or higher. The structures of Mo films annealed higher than 900 °C exhibit film thickness dependency. At 1000 °C annealing, 1200 Å or thinner samples show columnarlike monolayer structure. In the case of the 4900-Å-thick sample, it reveals a faceted multilayer structure, and its grain size is about 1700 Å. Grain size annealing temperature dependency is well correlated to electrical resistivity dependency. In addition, it is also found that, at 900 °C annealing or lower, no interfacial reaction occurs.