Reactive ion etching of sputtered silicon carbide and tungsten thin films for device applications. Final report

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5290236

Pan, W S; Steck, A J

For high-temperature processing and device applications, refractory materials, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and tungsten (W), are actively considered or evaluated as the basic semiconductor and metallization materials for future generations of integrated circuits. In order to pattern fine lines in SiC and W thin films, a selective and anisotropic etching technique needs to be developed for future device applications. Therefore, the etching process including basic mechanisms and process requirement have been chosen as the overall research goals of this project. Reactive ion etching (RIE) of SiC thin films in a variety of fluorinated gas plasmas, such as SF{sub 6}, CBrF{sub 3} and CHF{sub 3} mixed with oxygen was investigated in depth. The best anisotropic profile was observed by using CHF{sub 3} gas in the RIE mode. A typical DC bias, -300V, is concluded from etching experiments to determine the dependence of SiC etch rate and physical reaction under RIE mode. Reactive ion etching of tungsten (W) thin film was also investigated by using the different fluorinated gas plasmas, such as CF{sub 4}, SF{sub 6}, CBrF{sub 3} and CHF{sub 3} mixed with oxygen. The obtaining of anisotropic etching profiles in W etching was suggested and the mechanisms were also studied.

• Research Organization: Cincinnati Univ., OH (USA). Nanoelectronics Lab.
• OSTI ID: 5290236
• Report Number(s): AD-A-211711/7/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360605 -- Materials-- Radiation Effects
42 ENGINEERING
426000* -- Engineering-- Components
Electron Devices & Circuits-- (1990-)
ALKANES
ANISOTROPY
BEAMS
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CURRENTS
DIRECT CURRENT
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
ELEMENTS
ETCHING
FILMS
FLUIDS
FLUORINATION
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GASES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HALOGENATION
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROCARBONS
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
ION BEAMS
METALS
METHANE
MICROELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA
PROCESSING
PROGRESS REPORT
REFRACTORIES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SILICON CARBIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SURFACE FINISHING
THIN FILMS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TUNGSTEN