Buried Cobalt Silicide Layers in Silicon Created by Wafer Bonding

A buried conductive layer in silicon has been created using wafer bonding technique, with a cobalt interfacial layer.Co-coated silicon wafers were brought into contact with either similar or uncoated wafers at room temperature. CoSi 2 wasthen formed through a solid-phase reaction, during an anneal at 700 to 900°C. A 700 Å buried CoSi 2 -layer, with a resistivityof approximately 21 µ cm, was achieved. Good adhesion, as measured by tensile strength testing, between the wafers wasachieved. Transmission electron microscopic investigations (Co-coated wafer bonded to bare silicon) showed that thesilicide has not grown into the opposite wafer, and that an amorphous layer exists between the silicide and the siliconsurface. The presence of such a layer has been confirmed by electrical characterization.