Vacuum-ultraviolet-induced charge depletion in plasma-charged patterned-dielectric wafers

Journal Article · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 2009 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3088889· OSTI ID:21190055

Upadhyaya, G S; Shohet, J L ^[1]; Kruger, J B ^[2]

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1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Plasma Processing and Technology Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)
2. Stanford Nanofabrication Facility, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94303 (United States)

Plasma-induced charging of patterned-dielectric structures during device fabrication can cause structural and electrical damage to devices. In this work, we report on vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) radiation-induced charge depletion in plasma-charged patterned-silicon-oxide dielectric wafers. Charge depletion is studied as a function of photon energy and the aspect ratio of hole structures. The wafers were charged in a plasma and subsequently exposed to monochromatic-synchrotron-VUV. Surface-potential measurements after VUV exposure showed that photon energies less than 11 eV were beneficial in depleting the plasma-induced charge from the patterned-dielectric wafers. In addition, for a given photon-flux density and for photon energies less than 11 eV, VUV-induced charge depletion decreases with increasing hole aspect ratio. The results are explained with a physically plausible equivalent-circuit model, which suggests that both electron photoinjection from Si into the oxide and oxide surface conductivity play an important role in the charge-depletion process.

• OSTI ID: 21190055
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 105; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ASPECT RATIO
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
ELECTRONS
EQUIVALENT CIRCUITS
EV RANGE 10-100
FAR ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
FLUX DENSITY
MONOCHROMATIC RADIATION
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
PHOTONS
PLASMA
SILICON OXIDES
SURFACE POTENTIAL
SYNCHROTRONS