Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, 68 (1994) 707- 711 0368-2048/94/$07.00 @ 1994 - Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved XPS and AES study of reactive Ti-Si interface E.Buzanevaa, T.Vdovenkovaa, S.Litvinenkoa, V.Makhnjuka, V.Strikhaa, V.Skryshevskya, P.Shevchuka, V.Nemoshkalenkob, A.Senkevichb, A.Shpakb aShevchenko University, 64 Vladimirskaya, 252017, Kiev, Ukraine bInstitute of Metal Physics, Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 36 Vemadsky blvd, 252142, Kiev, Ukraine The influence of chemically active metal Al deposition on Ti - oxidized silicon interface at 300-430 C has been studied. The results of Ti-Si interface investigation afier Al deposition on Ti layer and following annealing are compared with the conclusions of thermodynamical estimates of reaction probabilities in Ti-Si, Ti-Si02, Al-SiO2, Al-TiO2 systems. LINTRODUCTION It is known that the deposition of chemically active Ti metal with a temperature of oxide formation larger than that of silicon oxide on an oxidized silicon surface at T > 700 C results in formation of Ti oxide and Ti silicide enriched by metal [il. The deposition of Ti on SiO2 together with chemically active W metal with a temperature of oxide formation greater than that of Ti oxide was established to accompany the formation of Ti oxide and silicide [2]. The object of this paper is the study of the influence of chemically active Al metal (having an oxide formation a temperature greater than that of w) deposition on Ti-oxidyzed silicon interface at 300-430 C. The results of investigation of composition modification of Ti-Si interface (with SiOx layer thickness equal to 1.5-2.5 nm) after Al deposition on Ti layer and following thermal annealing are compared with the conclusions of thermodynamical estimates of reaction probabilities in Ti-Si, Ti-Si02, Al-SiO2, Al-TiO2 systems. 2.EXPERIMENT The structures Ti-SiOx-Si (1) and Al- Ti-SiOF-Si (2 - before and 3 - after anneahng in N2 atmosphere at T=430 C for 30 min) were fabricated by oxidation of p-Si (111) type of p=9 Ohm*cm in oxygen atmosphere at 600 C for 6 min followed by Ti (10 m-n) and Al (1200 nm) magnetron cathode deposition. The temperature of Si-SiOx structure during Ti and Al deposition did not exceed 300 C. The technological conditions were chosen for obtaining the best parameters of solar cells based on these structures. The Al layer removed by etching in ~~P04:CH3COOH:HN03:H20 (26:5:1:1.5 by volume) solution before investigation. After etching Al 2p spectra was not observed. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (spectrometer Kratos, Series 800 XPS, hv = 1253.6 eV, analysis window - 2*6 mm) and Auger electron spectroscopy (spectrometer 09 HOC- 10, AEr/E = 0.3%, Ep = 3 keV, the beam diameter of primary electrons is 40 w) with the Ar+ ion sputtering (ion energy Ei = 3 keV, incident beam angles are 45O and 65O to the normal of surface for XPS 701 SSDI 0368-2048(94)02178-3