Silicidation techniques with improved rare earth silicide morphology for fabrication of semiconductor device contacts. For example, a method for forming silicide includes implanting a silicon layer with an amorphizing species to fond an amorphous silicon region in the silicon layer and depositing a rare earth metal film on the silicon layer in contact with the amorphous silicon region. A silicide process is then performed to combine the rare earth metal film and the amorphous silicon region to form a silicide film on the silicon layer.