AVS 46th International Symposium
    Electronic Materials and Processing Division Wednesday Sessions
       Session EM-WeP

Paper EM-WeP1
Comparison of Plasma Chemistries for Dry Etching of Ta@sub 2@O@sub 5@

Wednesday, October 27, 1999, 5:30 pm, Room 4C

Session: Poster Session
Presenter: K.P. Lee, University of Florida
Authors: K.P. Lee, University of Florida
K.B. Jung, University of Florida
R.K. Singh, University of Florida
S.J. Pearton, University of Florida
C.C. Hobbs, Motorola
P. Tobin, Motorola
Correspondent: Click to Email
Inductively Coupled Plasma etching of Ta@sub 2@O@sub 5@ was performed in a variety of different chemistries, including SF@sub 6@ with additions of O@sub 2@, Ar, CH@sub 4@ or H@sub 2@ ; Cl@sub 2@/Ar ; N@sub 2@/Ar and CH@sub 4@/H@sub 2@/Ar. Etch rates up to ~1200 Å ú min@super -1@ were achieved with either SF@sub 6@ or Cl@sub 2@ based chemistries. Under these conditions the etch rates for Si were approximately 4-7 times faster, although equi-rate etching was achieved at low source powers and low halogen gas percentages in the plasma chemistry. The etched Ta@sub 2@O@sub 5@ surfaces were smooth (RMS roughness @<=@ 0.5 nm) over a broad range of conditions of source power, chuck power and process pressure. The etch rates with N@sub 2@/Ar and CH@sub 4@/H@sub 2@/Ar were an order of magnitude lower than with SF@sub 6@ or Cl@sub 2@. There was no effect of post deposition annealing on the Ta@sub 2@O@sub 5@ etch rates, at least up to 800@super o@C.