The effect of filament temperature and deposition time on the formation of tungsten silicide upon exposure to the SiH(4) gas in a hot wire chemical vapor deposition process was studied using the techniques of cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. At a relatively low temperature of 1500 degrees C, the decomposition of WSi(2) phase and the diffusion of Si towards the silicide/W interface produce a thick W(5)Si(3) layer. The diffusional nature leads to a parabolic rate law for silicide growth. An exponential decrease of silicide thickness with temperature between 1600 and 2000 degrees C illustrates the dominance of Si evaporation at higher temperatures (T >= 1600 degrees C) over the silicide formation. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.