Abstract: A method of forming a layer of an electrically conductive metal-silicide material, comprises steps of: providing a Si-containing workpiece; forming a Ni-doped Co layer on a surface of the workpiece, as by sputter deposition utilizing a Ni-doped Co sputtering target; and reacting the Ni-doped Co layer and workpiece. Embodiments include performing a salicide process to form electrically conductive Ni-doped Co silicide functioning as electrically conductive contacts to the gate electrode and source and drain regions of a MOS transistor. Also disclosed are PVD sources, e.g., sputtering targets, comprising Ni-doped Co and utilized for forming the Ni-doped Co layer.