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Title: Fluorocarbon assisted atomic layer etching of SiO{sub 2} using cyclic Ar/C{sub 4}F{sub 8} plasma

Abstract

The authors demonstrate atomic layer etching of SiO{sub 2} using a steady-state Ar plasma, periodic injection of a defined number of C{sub 4}F{sub 8} molecules, and synchronized plasma-based Ar{sup +} ion bombardment. C{sub 4}F{sub 8} injection enables control of the deposited fluorocarbon (FC) layer thickness in the one to several Ångstrom range and chemical modification of the SiO{sub 2} surface. For low energy Ar{sup +} ion bombardment conditions, the physical sputter rate of SiO{sub 2} vanishes, whereas SiO{sub 2} can be etched when FC reactants are present at the surface. The authors have measured for the first time the temporal variation of the chemically enhanced etch rate of SiO{sub 2} for Ar{sup +} ion energies below 30 eV as a function of fluorocarbon surface coverage. This approach enables controlled removal of Ångstrom-thick SiO{sub 2} layers. Our results demonstrate that development of atomic layer etching processes even for complex materials is feasible.

Authors:
; ; ;  [1]
  1. IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22258672
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 32; Journal Issue: 2; Other Information: (c) 2014 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0734-2101
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; ARGON IONS; DEPOSITS; ETCHING; INJECTION; ION BEAMS; LAYERS; PLASMA; SILICA; SILICON OXIDES; SPUTTERING; STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS; SURFACES; THICKNESS

Citation Formats

Metzler, Dominik, Oehrlein, Gottlieb S., E-mail: oehrlein@umd.edu, Bruce, Robert L., Engelmann, Sebastian, and Joseph, Eric A. Fluorocarbon assisted atomic layer etching of SiO{sub 2} using cyclic Ar/C{sub 4}F{sub 8} plasma. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1116/1.4843575.
Metzler, Dominik, Oehrlein, Gottlieb S., E-mail: oehrlein@umd.edu, Bruce, Robert L., Engelmann, Sebastian, & Joseph, Eric A. Fluorocarbon assisted atomic layer etching of SiO{sub 2} using cyclic Ar/C{sub 4}F{sub 8} plasma. United States. https://doi.org/10.1116/1.4843575
Metzler, Dominik, Oehrlein, Gottlieb S., E-mail: oehrlein@umd.edu, Bruce, Robert L., Engelmann, Sebastian, and Joseph, Eric A. 2014. "Fluorocarbon assisted atomic layer etching of SiO{sub 2} using cyclic Ar/C{sub 4}F{sub 8} plasma". United States. https://doi.org/10.1116/1.4843575.
@article{osti_22258672,
title = {Fluorocarbon assisted atomic layer etching of SiO{sub 2} using cyclic Ar/C{sub 4}F{sub 8} plasma},
author = {Metzler, Dominik and Oehrlein, Gottlieb S., E-mail: oehrlein@umd.edu and Bruce, Robert L. and Engelmann, Sebastian and Joseph, Eric A.},
abstractNote = {The authors demonstrate atomic layer etching of SiO{sub 2} using a steady-state Ar plasma, periodic injection of a defined number of C{sub 4}F{sub 8} molecules, and synchronized plasma-based Ar{sup +} ion bombardment. C{sub 4}F{sub 8} injection enables control of the deposited fluorocarbon (FC) layer thickness in the one to several Ångstrom range and chemical modification of the SiO{sub 2} surface. For low energy Ar{sup +} ion bombardment conditions, the physical sputter rate of SiO{sub 2} vanishes, whereas SiO{sub 2} can be etched when FC reactants are present at the surface. The authors have measured for the first time the temporal variation of the chemically enhanced etch rate of SiO{sub 2} for Ar{sup +} ion energies below 30 eV as a function of fluorocarbon surface coverage. This approach enables controlled removal of Ångstrom-thick SiO{sub 2} layers. Our results demonstrate that development of atomic layer etching processes even for complex materials is feasible.},
doi = {10.1116/1.4843575},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22258672}, journal = {Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films},
issn = {0734-2101},
number = 2,
volume = 32,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Mar 15 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Sat Mar 15 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}