AVS 50th International Symposium
    Plasma Science and Technology Monday Sessions
       Session PS-MoA

Paper PS-MoA3
The Use of Reactive Gases with Broad-beam RF Ion Sources for Industrial Applications

Monday, November 3, 2003, 2:40 pm, Room 314

Session: Plasma Sources
Presenter: St. Schneider, Forschungszentrum Juelich, Germany
Authors: St. Schneider, Forschungszentrum Juelich, Germany
T.W. Jolly, Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology Ltd.
H. Kohlstedt, Forschungszentrum Juelich, Germany
R. Waser, Forschungszentrum Juelich, Germany
Correspondent: Click to Email
Broad-beam ion sources are used for a number of important industrial etching and deposition applications, and the use of inductively-coupled plasmas has greatly increased the feasibility of using beams of reactive gases, especially of chlorine and oxygen, but also of CO, CO@sub 2@, CF@sub 4@, CHF@sub 3@, SF@sub 6@ etc. In order to gain more understanding of the factors that affect the composition of beams of these gases, we have used a Hiden energy-dispersive quadrupole mass spectrometer to analyze the flux of ions and energetic particles produced by an Oxford Instruments 15cm RF ion source. For all of the above gases, we have analyzed the effects of changing the operating conditions on the composition of the ion beam, and the fractional production of multiply-charged ions; on the plasma potential (and the consequential divergence of the ion beam) and on the spread in energy of the ion beam. We discuss how these factors influence the correct use of the ion source in etching applications with these gases. It is important that the design of the ion source should be optimized for the process gases that are used. The source was originally optimized for use on argon. We discuss the effect of the design on the source's performance with the different gases, and we consider whether design changes could be appropriate for optimum performance on different gases.