salicide process
silicidation is used to decrease the resistance of the contact this is done by adding some Si compounds called silicides "they are also called refractory metal for example Tnagestun (W)) , this process also prevents the Al from shorting the drain/source cause of its solubility in Si "this problem called pitting".
silicides are also added to polysilicon forming polysides which decrease the polysilicon resistance.
the procees of siliciding the contact cut and polysilicon is called salicidation as in self alligned sillicide. where both process are done in one step.
as far as i could rememberthe process is followed by heating process called RTA "rapid thermal anealing"