The study reports on the Sb mediated growth of NiSi2 on Si(001) in the temperature range from 350 to 600 degrees C. Reactive deposition of Ni onto Si(001) in this temperature interval without the surfactant Sb leads to the formation of NiSi2 islands. The NiSi2 grains have pyramidal shape and grow from the Si surface into the substrate. They have the so-called A-type orientation. Deposition of about one monolayer of Sb onto Si(001) prior to reactive deposition of Ni leads to a relocation of the NiSi2 nucleation from the Si(001) surface to the artificially created Si buffer interface. In this case three types of NiSi2 crystallites, which differ in their shape and orientation, grow embedded into the Si matrix. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.