Role of the substrate in the C49-C54 transformation of TiSi2

The effects of the surface roughness of silicon wafers on the microstructure and morphology of TiSi2 were investigated. The grain orientation before and after the C49-C54 transformation was examined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Results indicated that in textured films, the surfaces facing the substrate [(100) for C49 and (010) for C54] are the most energetic ones. The saturation of the dangling bonds at the interface played an important role in minimizing the free-energy of the system.