Investigation of the roles of gas-phase CF{sub 2} molecules and F atoms during fluorocarbon plasma processing of Si and ZrO{sub 2} substrates

Journal Article · Sun Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3467776· OSTI ID:21476370

Cuddy, Michael F; Fisher, Ellen R ^[1]

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1. Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1872 (United States)

The molecular-level chemistry involved in the processing of silicon and zirconia substrates by inductively coupled fluorocarbon (FC) plasmas produced from CF{sub 4} and C{sub 2}F{sub 6} precursors has been explored. The roles of gas-phase excited, neutral, and ionic species, especially CF{sub 2} and F, were examined as they contribute to FC film formation and substrate etching. The surface reactivity of CF{sub 2} radicals in C{sub 2}F{sub 6} plasmas has a dependence on substrate material and plasma system, as measured by our imaging of radicals interacting with surfaces (IRIS) technique. Relative concentrations of excited state species are also dependent upon substrate type. Moreover, differences in the nature and concentrations of gas-phase species in CF{sub 4} and C{sub 2}F{sub 6} plasmas contribute to markedly different surface compositions for FC films deposited on substrates as revealed from x-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis. These data have led to the development of a scheme that illustrates the mechanisms of film formation and destruction in these FC/substrate systems with respect to CF{sub 2} and F gas-phase species and also Si and ZrO{sub 2} substrates.

• OSTI ID: 21476370
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 108, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3467776; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOMS
CARBON TETRAFLUORIDE
ETCHING
EXCITED STATES
MOLECULES
PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
PLASMA
PROCESSING
RADICALS
REACTIVITY
SILICON
SUBSTRATES
X RADIATION
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
FLUORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIATIONS
SEMIMETALS
SPECTROSCOPY
SURFACE FINISHING
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS