Patent ID: 6943107

Claim:
A method of forming a refractory metal silicide layer comprising: forming a titanium metal layer on and in direct physical contact with a monocrystalline silicon material comprised by a substrate; after forming the titanium metal layer, providing compressive stress inducing atoms into the titanium metal layer, the compressive stress inducing atoms being larger than silicon atoms, the compressive stress inducing atoms being provided within the titanium metal layer at a concentration of from about 10 16 atoms/cm 3 to about 10 22 atoms/cm 3 ; after the providing, first annealing the titanium metal layer containing the compressive stress inducing atoms to form a titanium silicide layer substantially of a first crystalline phase; and second annealing the titanium silicide layer substantially of the first crystalline phase under conditions effective to transform said titanium silicide layer to a more dense layer substantially of a second crystalline phase, said compressive stress inducing atoms facilitating phase transformation of said titanium silicide from said first crystalline phase to said second crystalline phase.