Formation of vanadium silicides by the interactions of v with bare and oxidized Si wafers

Formation of vanadium silicides by the interactions of vanadium with bare and oxidized Si wafers has been studied by both x-ray diffraction and He ion backscattering techniques. X-ray diffraction was used to identify phases and ion backscattering to profile compositional changes. In the case of V on Si, the silicide VSi₂, which is a silicon-rich phase, was found to form at temperatures from 600 to 1000°C. In the case of V on SiO₂, reactions took place only at temperatures above 800°C, and the reaction products were identified to be V₃Si, V₅SI₃, and V₂O₅. Both V₃Si and V₅Si ₃ are vandium-rich phases, and the V₃Si that we found was a continuous layer between the substrate and the other two phases, and became superconducting at about 15°K. © 1973 American Institute of Physics.