Failure mechanisms of silicides, which play a key role in ESD (electrostatic discharge) failure of CMOS technology, are [1]:
         i) Silicide vertical penetration to the metallurgical junctions,
         ii) Silicide lateral penetration to the metallurgical junctions,
         iii) Silicide phase transformation,
         iv) Silicide removal.

[1] Steven H. Voldman, ESD: Failure Mechanisms and Models, 2009.