Applying both template and Si cap technology, we achieved the epitaxial growth of CoSi2 directly on Si(1 0 0) substrate by rapid thermal annealing (RTA). The crystal quality Of CoSi2 film is found to be significantly dependent on the Si cap thickness. In our work, a good-quality CoSi2 film with a minimum of chi(min)similar to 11.6% and 3.3 Omega/square was obtained as a 15 nm Co with a subsequent 15 nm Si cap layer is deposited on an oxide-mediated CoSi2 template and followed by an anneal at 1050 degrees C under N-2 protection: whereas too thin or thick Si cap layer will deteriorate the crystalline quality Of CoSi2. These experimental results are discussed in combination with the simulation of Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and X-ray reflectivity. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.