Asymmetric microtrenching during inductively coupled plasma oxide etching in the presence of a weak magnetic field

Journal Article · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1998 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.121068· OSTI ID:615358

Schaepkens, M; Oehrlein, G S ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York12222 (United States)

When fabricating microscopic features in SiO{sub 2} layers using low pressure, high-density fluorocarbon plasmas, microtrenching has commonly been observed. Microtrenching has been explained either as due to ion scattering from sloped sidewalls or negative charging of the sidewalls by electrons, and the influence of the associated electric field on ion trajectories. In this work, we show that a weak magnetic field produces a significant asymmetry in microtrenching. Our results demonstrate unambiguously that electron-based sidewall charging is to a significant extent responsible for microtrenching, and, more generally, that differential charging is an important effect in microstructure fabrication using high-density plasmas. {copyright} {ital 1998 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 615358
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 72; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ELECTRIC CHARGES
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ETCHING
ION DENSITY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MICROELECTRONICS
MICROSTRUCTURE
PLASMA
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES