AVS 49th International Symposium
    Plasma Science Monday Sessions
       Session PS1-MoA

Paper PS1-MoA4
Plasma Etching Chemistry and Kinetics for Silicon Oxide Thin Films

Monday, November 4, 2002, 3:00 pm, Room C-103

Session: Dielectric Etch I
Presenter: O. Kwon, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Authors: O. Kwon, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
H.H. Sawin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Correspondent: Click to Email
Surface kinetics study of silicon oxide etching with fluorocarbons in inductively coupled plasmas High density fluorocarbon plasma for silicon oxide etching has various ion and neutral species. Depending on the plasma condition, many difficulties arise such as RIE lag, etch stop, and low selectivity of photoresist. Profile evolution modeling can provide understanding of these difficulties in etching as well as trenching, bowing, and faceting. In this research we have measured etching and deposition rates as functions of ion bombardment energy, ion impinging angle, ion-to-neutral flux ration, which are necessary for profile evolution modeling of silicon oxide etching in inductively coupled plasma. In this work, ions and neutrals are extracted directly from plasma to differentially pumped side chambers. Surface reaction is studied by measuring etching and deposition rate with quartz crystal microbalance(QCM). At the same time, ion and neutral composition of the plasma is determined with mass spectrometer. Etching or deposition rate is measured with QCM as functions of ion acceleration energy, ion impinging angle, ion-to-neutral flux ration with various fluorocarbon plasmas. With fluorocaron plasma, fluorocarbon deposition was observed at low ion energy, high ion impinging angle, low plasma power and high pressure. A model describing both deposition and etching regimes is suggested.