AVS 51st International Symposium
    Magnetic Interfaces and Nanostructures Friday Sessions
       Session MI-FrM

Paper MI-FrM10
Novel Green Plasma Etch Chemistries for Magnetic Metals.

Friday, November 19, 2004, 11:20 am, Room 304A

Session: Advanced Magnetic Data Storage and Thin Film Processing
Presenter: A.S. Orland, Auburn University
Authors: A.S. Orland, Auburn University
A.A. Dyachenko, Auburn University
R. Blumenthal, Auburn University
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Chlorine, an enviromental menace, is traditionally used to etch magnetic metals in manufacturing of semiconductor devices. In this work, the etching of magnetic metals with hydrogen plasmas containing environmentally friendly gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and cyclopentadiene (Cp) is investigated by means of supersonic pulse, plasma sampling mass spectrometry. Previous results, in our group,@super 1@ have indicated that the etch rates of nickel are significantly enhanced in CO/H@sub 2@ plasmas and CO@sub 2@/H@sub 2@ plasmas at the same time that formate and oxalate signals appear in the mass spectrum. It is further assumed that these species serve as new primary etchants resulting in the formation of volatile metal formates and oxalates. The etch rates and chemical mechanisms responsible for the etching in CO/H@sub 2@, CO@sub 2@/H@sub 2@ and Cp/H@sub 2@ plasmas will be presented. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ A.Orland, Ph.D. thesis, Auburn University, 2003.