Abstract: A method of manufacturing a metal silicide layer comprises performing laser thermal annealing of a surface region of a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate, exposing a surface of a thus obtained silicon layer, depositing a metal layer above the exposed silicon layer, and/or thermally treating a stack of layers, comprising the silicon layer and the metal layer, to form a metal silicide layer. Alternatively and/or additionally, the method may comprise depositing a silicon layer above a SiC substrate, depositing a metal layer, and/or performing laser thermal annealing of the SiC substrate and a stack of layers above the SiC substrate to form a metal silicide layer, wherein the stack of layers comprises the silicon layer and the metal layer. Moreover, a semiconductor device is described, comprising a SiC substrate, a metal silicide layer, and a polycrystalline layer in direct contact with the SiC substrate and the metal silicide layer.