Abstract: A process for the formation of a titanium nitride/cobalt silicide bilayer for use in semiconductor processing. Titanium and then cobalt are deposited on a silicon substrate by sputter deposition techniques. The substrate is then annealed. During this process the titanium first cleans the silicon surface of the substrate of any native oxide. During the anneal, the titanium diffuses upward and the cobalt diffuses downward. The cobalt forms a high quality epitaxial cobalt silicide layer on the silicon substrate. The titanium layer diffuses upward to the surface of the bilayer. The anneal is carried out in a nitrogen or ammonia ambient, so that a titaniun nitride layer is formed.