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Title: Balancing ion parameters and fluorocarbon chemical reactants for SiO 2 pattern transfer control using fluorocarbon-based atomic layer etching

Abstract

In manufacturing, etch profiles play a significant role in device patterning. Here, the authors present a study of the evolution of etch profiles of nanopatterned silicon oxide using a chromium hard mask and a CHF3/Ar atomic layer etching in a conventional inductively coupled plasma tool. The authors show the effect of substrate electrode temperature, chamber pressure, and electrode forward power on the etch profile evolution of nanopatterned silicon oxide. Chamber pressure has an especially significant role, with lower pressure leading to lower etch rates and higher pattern fidelity. The authors also find that at higher electrode forward power, the physical component of etching increases and more anisotropic etching is achieved. By carefully tuning the process parameters, the authors are able to find the best conditions to achieve aspect-ratio independent etching and high fidelity patterning, with an average sidewall angle of 87° ± 1.5° and undercut values as low as 3.7 ± 0.5% for five trench sizes ranging from 150 to 30 nm. Finally, they provide some guidelines to understand the impact of plasma parameters on plasma ion distribution and thus on the atomic layer etching process.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [4];  [3]; ORCiD logo [3];  [2]
  1. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Illmenau Univ. of Technology (Germany); Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology, Bristol (United Kingdom)
  2. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
  3. Illmenau Univ. of Technology (Germany)
  4. Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology, Bristol (United Kingdom)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI Identifier:
1597718
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1562163
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-05CH11231
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 37; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 2166-2746
Publisher:
American Vacuum Society / AIP
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING

Citation Formats

Dallorto, Stefano, Lorenzon, Monica, Szornel, Julia, Schwartzberg, Adam, Goodyear, Andy, Cooke, Mike, Hofmann, Martin, Rangelow, Ivo W., and Cabrini, Stefano. Balancing ion parameters and fluorocarbon chemical reactants for SiO 2 pattern transfer control using fluorocarbon-based atomic layer etching. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1116/1.5120414.
Dallorto, Stefano, Lorenzon, Monica, Szornel, Julia, Schwartzberg, Adam, Goodyear, Andy, Cooke, Mike, Hofmann, Martin, Rangelow, Ivo W., & Cabrini, Stefano. Balancing ion parameters and fluorocarbon chemical reactants for SiO 2 pattern transfer control using fluorocarbon-based atomic layer etching. United States. https://doi.org/10.1116/1.5120414
Dallorto, Stefano, Lorenzon, Monica, Szornel, Julia, Schwartzberg, Adam, Goodyear, Andy, Cooke, Mike, Hofmann, Martin, Rangelow, Ivo W., and Cabrini, Stefano. Mon . "Balancing ion parameters and fluorocarbon chemical reactants for SiO 2 pattern transfer control using fluorocarbon-based atomic layer etching". United States. https://doi.org/10.1116/1.5120414. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1597718.
@article{osti_1597718,
title = {Balancing ion parameters and fluorocarbon chemical reactants for SiO 2 pattern transfer control using fluorocarbon-based atomic layer etching},
author = {Dallorto, Stefano and Lorenzon, Monica and Szornel, Julia and Schwartzberg, Adam and Goodyear, Andy and Cooke, Mike and Hofmann, Martin and Rangelow, Ivo W. and Cabrini, Stefano},
abstractNote = {In manufacturing, etch profiles play a significant role in device patterning. Here, the authors present a study of the evolution of etch profiles of nanopatterned silicon oxide using a chromium hard mask and a CHF3/Ar atomic layer etching in a conventional inductively coupled plasma tool. The authors show the effect of substrate electrode temperature, chamber pressure, and electrode forward power on the etch profile evolution of nanopatterned silicon oxide. Chamber pressure has an especially significant role, with lower pressure leading to lower etch rates and higher pattern fidelity. The authors also find that at higher electrode forward power, the physical component of etching increases and more anisotropic etching is achieved. By carefully tuning the process parameters, the authors are able to find the best conditions to achieve aspect-ratio independent etching and high fidelity patterning, with an average sidewall angle of 87° ± 1.5° and undercut values as low as 3.7 ± 0.5% for five trench sizes ranging from 150 to 30 nm. Finally, they provide some guidelines to understand the impact of plasma parameters on plasma ion distribution and thus on the atomic layer etching process.},
doi = {10.1116/1.5120414},
journal = {Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B},
number = 5,
volume = 37,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Sep 16 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Mon Sep 16 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}

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