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Study of reactive ion etching of Si and SiO sub 2 for CF sub x Cl sub 4 minus x gases

Journal Article · · Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing; (USA)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01016928· OSTI ID:5576337
 [1]
  1. IBM, Hopewell Junction, NY (USA)

A parametric study of the etching of Si and SiO{sub 2} by reactive ion etching (RIE) was carried out to gain a better understanding of the etching mechanisms. The following fluorocarbons (FCs) were used in order to study the effect of the F-to-Cl atom ratio in the parent molecule to the plasma and the etching properties: CF{sub 4}, CF{sub 3}Cl, CF{sub 2}Cl{sub 2}, and CFCl{sub 3} (FC-14, FC-13, FC-12, and FC-11 respectively). The Si etch rate uniformity across the wafer as a function of the temperature of the wafer and the Si load, the optical emission as a function of the temperature of the load, the etch rate of SiO{sub 2} as a function of the sheath voltage, and the mass spectra for each of the FCs were measured. The temperature of the wafer and that of the surrounding Si load strongly influence the etch rate of Si, the uniformity of etching, and the optical emission of F, Cl, and CF{sub 2}. The activation energy for the etching reaction of Si during CF{sub 4} RIE was measured. The etch rate of Si depends more strongly on the gas composition than on the sheath voltage; it seems to be dominated by ion-assisted chemical etching. The etching of photoresist shifted from chemical etching to ion-assisted chemical etching as a function of the F-to-Cl ratio and the sheath voltage. The etch rate of SiO{sub 2} depended more strongly on the sheath voltage than on the F-to-Cl ratio.

OSTI ID:
5576337
Journal Information:
Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing; (USA), Journal Name: Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing; (USA) Vol. 8:1; ISSN PCPPD; ISSN 0272-4324
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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