Abstract: A method and a device directed to the same, for stabilizing cobalt silicide/single crystal silicon, amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, germanide/crystalline germanium, polycrystalline germanium structures or other semiconductor material structures so that high temperature processing steps (above 750.degree. C.) do not degrade the structural quality of the cobalt silicide/silicon structure. The steps of the method include forming a silicide or germanide by either reacting cobalt with the substrate material and/or the codeposition of the silicide or germanide on a substrate, adding a selective element, either platinum or nitrogen, into the cobalt and forming the silicide germanide by a standard annealing treatment. Alternatively, the cobalt silicide or cobalt germanide can be formed after the formation of the silicide or germanide respectively. As a result, the upper limit of the annealing temperature at which the silicide or germanide will structurally degrade is increased.