The contact reaction of a Si substrate with codeposited Pd‐W and Pt‐W alloy films has been compared to that with codeposited Pd‐Si and Pt‐Si alloy films. Effects of alloy composition and heat treatment on component redistribution, reaction product, temperature of silicide formation, and morphological changes have been analyzed by ion backscattering, x‐ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy and correlated with earlier current‐voltage measurements of change of Schottky barrier height. The advantage and disadvantage of using alloys of near noble and refractory metals and of using alloys of near noble metal and Si for the formation of shallow contacts of high Schottky barrier height (0.87–0.74 eV) are reviewed.