High temperature reactive ion etching of indium-tin oxide

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1997 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.1837603· OSTI ID:509395

Kuo, Y ^[1]

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1. IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY (United States)

Indium-tin oxide (ITO) is a transparent conductor widely used in flat panel displays and solar cells. Reactive ion etching of indium-tin oxide at 250 C based on SiCl{sub 4}, CF{sub 4}, and CH{sub 4} gases has been studied. An etch rate as high as 435 {angstrom}/min has been achieved. Depending on process parameters such as temperature, gas, power, and pressure, the etch rate can be controlled by ion bombardment energy alone or by plasma phase chemistry and ion bombardment energy. The bottleneck step of the surface reaction can be the reduction of the metal oxide or the removal of reaction products. These process results are consistent with the surface analysis data. Photoresist can be used as a masking layer in the 250 C plasma etching process when the mask is properly designed and the feeding gas includes CH{sub 4}.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 509395
• Journal Information: Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Journal Name: Journal of the Electrochemical Society Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 144; ISSN JESOAN; ISSN 0013-4651
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CARBON TETRAFLUORIDE
ETCHING
INDIUM OXIDES
METHANE
PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS
SILICON CHLORIDES
SOLAR CELLS
TIN OXIDES