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

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01016928· OSTI ID:5576337

Fortuno, G ^[1]

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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

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360102* -- Metals & Alloys-- Structure & Phase Studies
360104 -- Metals & Alloys-- Physical Properties
360202 -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Structure & Phase Studies
360204 -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Physical Properties
ACTIVATION ENERGY
ARGON IONS
ARRHENIUS EQUATION
CHALCOGENIDES
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHLORINE IONS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
EQUATIONS
ETCHING
FLUORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
FLUORINE IONS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
ION IMPLANTATION
IONS
MASS SPECTRA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
PHOTOCONDUCTORS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SPECTRA
SURFACE FINISHING
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE