Energy Dependence of Relative Sputter Etching Rates for Silicide Films

Abstract

We measured sputter etching rates of silicide films (CoSi₂, NiSi₂, TiSi₂ and WSi), and investigated the ion energy dependence. We found that the relative sputter etching rates of them to that of SiO₂ film were almost independent of sputter ion energy. We estimated surface binding energy of Ni from relative sputter etching rates and the ratio of calculated nuclear stopping power cross-sections of Ni and Si. We found that the surface binding energy determined by the relative sputter etching rate, was in accord with the well-known value.