Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for ensuring uniform and reproducible heating of a deformation-tolerant substrate during low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of a metal film on a surface of the substrate. The uniform and reproducible heating of the substrate is achieved in the present invention by positioning the substrate on a beveled surface of a chamfered ring which is located above the heating element in a CVD reactor chamber. The space between heating element, chamfered ring and bottom surface of the substrate define a cavity between the substrate and heating element that ensures that the substrate is heated by radiative means rather than direct contact.

Abstract: A method (and structure formed thereby) of forming a metal silicide contact on a non-planar silicon containing region having controlled consumption of the silicon containing region, includes forming a blanket metal layer over the silicon containing region, forming a silicon layer over the metal layer, etching anisotropically and selectively with respect to the metal the silicon layer, reacting the metal with silicon at a first temperature to form a metal silicon alloy, etching unreacted portions of the metal layer, annealing at a second temperature to form an alloy of metal-Si2, and selectively etching the unreacted silicon layer.