Self-assembly patterning of epitaxial CoSi2 wires

We have investigated a self-assembly process for patterning epitaxial CoSi2, nanowires using local oxidation of silicides (LOCOSI). This involves single-crystalline, epitaxial CoSi2, grown on Si(100) by molecular beam allotaxy (MBA). A mask consisting of 20 nm SiO2 and 400 nm Si3N4, deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and patterned with conventional optical lithography, induces a stress field near its edges into the underlying COSi2/Si heterostructure. A rapid thermal oxidation step leads to the separation of the CoSi2 layer in this region due to the concomitant anisotropic diffusion of the cobalt atoms in the stress field. Etching back the oxide underneath the nitride shifts the stress field underneath the mask leading to the formation of homogeneous silicide wires along the mask during a second oxidation step. Using this new approach, continuous wires with a minimum width of approximately 80 nm were observed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.