Investigation into the analytical utility of plasma etching in reactive glow discharge plasmas

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1999 · Applied Spectroscopy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1366/0003702991945236· OSTI ID:700417

Barshick, C M ^[1]

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1. Chemical and Analytical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6375 (United States)

Tetrafluoromethane (CF{sub 4}, 1.01{percent} by weight) was added to the argon support gas of a hollow cathode glow discharge to investigate the analytical utility of etch atomization. When a conducting copper cathode was analyzed, the sputtering rate (as measured by weight loss) was reduced by a factor of five compared to operation with pure argon. Copper atomic absorbance and copper atomic emission intensity were also reduced by factors of seven and two, respectively. When a nonconducting sample was analyzed, the stainless steel ring that held the sample acted as an auxiliary cathode, supporting the discharge processes. Radical fluoride species formed in this discharge reacted with the nonconducting substrate (silica) to produce volatile SiF{sub 4} that spontaneously evolved into the gas phase, carrying with it copper and uranium. This approach is analogous to plasma etching, a well-established technique for semiconductor processing. Atomic emission data were obtained with a pure argon discharge and an argon/CF{sub 4} discharge. With the addition of CF{sub 4}, a 30{percent} enhancement was observed for uranium in glass and a 50{percent} enhancement for copper in glass. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to support the supposition that etching of the silica matrix on the inner surface of the hollow cathode contributed to this enhancement. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital Society for Applied Spectroscopy}

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-96OR22464
• OSTI ID: 700417
• Journal Information: Applied Spectroscopy, Journal Name: Applied Spectroscopy Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 53; ISSN 0003-7028; ISSN APSPA4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
40 CHEMISTRY
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ETCHING
GLOW DISCHARGES
PLASMA
QUARTZ
SPUTTERING
SURFACE PROPERTIES