APL Nameplate
  • Volume/Page
  • Keyword
  • DOI
  • Citation
  • Advanced
   
 
 
 

Flickr Twitter iResearch App Facebook

BROWSE VOLUMES

Year Range: 
Search Issue | RSS Feeds RSS
Previous Issue Next Issue

22 Oct 2001

Volume 79, Issue 17, pp. 2681-2850

Return to All Sections
back to top
RSS Feeds

Reduction of microtrenching and island formation in oxide plasma etching by employing electron beam charge neutralization

M. Watanabe, D. M. Shaw, and G. J. Collins

Appl. Phys. Lett. 79, 2698 (2001); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1413726 (3 pages) | Cited 11 times

Full Text: Read Online (HTML) | Download PDF

Show Abstract
During plasma etching of oxide thin-film patterns, nonuniform charge buildup within etching features results in formation of microtrenches. Near the etch endpoint, the underlying film layer adjacent to the feature edges is exposed first, leaving an oxide island in the feature center and potentially causing underlayer damage before the endpoint is reached. Herein, a directional electron flux is added to the plasma ion flux incident on the etching substrate with the goal of minimizing microtrenching and oxide island formation. Scanning electron microscopic images of patterns etched with added electron irradiation show a reduction in microtrenching and oxide island formation as compared to patterns etched under identical conditions without electron irradiation. A computer simulation shows that the added electron irradiation reduces microtrenching by allowing more uniform ion flux to reach the feature bottom. © 2001 American Institute of Physics.
Show PACS
52.77.Bn Etching and cleaning
81.65.Cf Surface cleaning, etching, patterning
61.80.Fe Electron and positron radiation effects
Return to All Sections
Close

Google Calendar

ADVERTISEMENT

Go to AIP Home   © AIP Publishing LLC
close