Abstract: A new kind of thermal detector and thermal imager for infrared radiation. A thermal detector/imager is a device for detecting/imaging in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. This produces a video image, where the video brightness is a function of the incident power. The new thermal imager consists of a thermionic thermal detector having: a substrate having a thermal insulating gap; and a reverse biased CoSi.sub.2 diode suspended over the thermal insulating gap of the substrate and which senses temperature of thermionic emission by producing an output signal with a current that changes exponentially with temperature changes. The substrate is a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer which has said thermal insulating gap on its top surface; an oxide insulator layer that covers the top surface of the thick silicon support layer, including the thermal insulating gap; and support legs placed on the top surface of the oxide insulator layer. The support legs support the reverse biased CoSi.sub.

Abstract: The selective or blanket deposition of titanium silicide using a Very Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition process is described. Silane and titanium tetrachloride are used as the silicon and titanium sources, respectively. A thin polysilicon layer is deposited prior to the silicide deposition to promote the nucleation of titanium silicide. It is shown that selective deposition is possible by controlling the polysilicon and the titanium silicide deposition times. The resulting titanium silicide films have resistivities in the range of 15-25 micro-ohms-cm.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process and apparatus for the Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (LPCVD) of polycrystalline refractory metal silicides, such as TiSi.sub.2, in a reactor. An oxidized Si wafer is loaded in the reactor. The reactor is pumped down to a pressure of about 10.sup.-7 Torr, or less. The Si substrate is heated to the predetermined deposition temperature of about 630.degree. C. while avoiding heating of the reactor walls. The reactor is then purged with an inert gas, such as nitrogen. Next, polysilicon is deposited on the wafer by introducing SiH.sub.4 into the reactor at a pressure in the order of 0.2 Torr. A layer of polycrystalline titanium silicide is then formed on the polysilicon layer by introducing reactants, such as TiCl.sub.4 and SiH.sub.4, into the reactor at depositon temperatures between about 650.degree. to 700.degree. C. and pressures of between about 50 to 460 m Torr.