The stress hump phenomenon observed at a low temperature of approximately 140C during in situ stress-temperature measurement of sputtered Ni thin film on a (001) Si substrate has been investigated. We found that the stress hump was not
related to the formation of NiSi2, but originated from the thickening of an amorphous Ni–Si intermixing layer in the
temperature range of 100–140C followed by the formation of the Ni2Si phase at temperatures above 140C.