C49 defect influence on the C49–C54 transition

The C49–C54 transformation has been studied in TiSi₂ thin films having different concentration of defects. The defect concentration in the C49 phase has been varied using different thermal processes in the 460–540 °C temperature range; in fact, the defect concentration decreases with increasing the temperature and/or the duration of the thermal process as attested by the large variation of the silicide residual resistivity at 4 K. The kinetics of the transformation at 650 °C has been followed by in situ resistivity measurements and, for each sample, the transition time decreases as the defect concentration in the metastable phase decreases.