Advanced cobalt silicidation with in-situ hydrogen plasma clean

Various methods of fabricating a silicide structure are provided. In one aspect, a method of fabricating a circuit structure on a silicon surface is provided that includes exposing the silicon surface to a plasma ambient containing hydrogen and an inert gas, and depositing a metallic material capable of forming silicide on the silicon surface. The metallic material is heated to form a metal silicide on the silicon surface. The method provides for low sheet resistance silicide structures by eliminating native oxide films without the risk of spacer material backsputtering.