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Plasma Parameters and Kinetics of Reactive-Ion Etching of Silicon in a C6F12O + Ar Mixture

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Abstract

The characteristics of the gas phase and the kinetics of reactive-ion etching of silicon in a 50% C6F12O + 50% Ar plasma are studied. The study scheme includes plasma diagnostics using Langmuir probes and optical emission spectroscopy, as well as the measurement of etching rates with varying input power (200–600 W) and gas pressure (4–12 mTorr). It is shown that (a) the nature of the change in the parameters of the electron and ion components of the plasma generally corresponds to the regularities known for other fluorocarbon gases; and (b) the kinetics of the formation of fluorine atoms is significantly affected by bulk processes of the form CFx + O → COFx–1 + F. It is established that the change in the silicon etching rate is determined by the kinetics of the heterogeneous reaction Si + xF → SiFx flowing in the mode of limitation by the flow of fluorine atoms. It is assumed that the effective probability of this reaction under constant temperature conditions is determined by the processes of competitive adsorption of oxygen atoms and/or surface oxidation.

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Funding

This study is part of a state task of the Federal State Institution Scientific Research Institute for System Analysis, Russian Academy of Sciences (conducting fundamental scientific research (47 GP)) on topic no. 11021060909091-4-1.2.1 “Fundamental and applied research in the field of lithographic limits of semiconductor technologies and physical and chemical etching processes of 3D nanometer dielectric structures for the development of critical production technologies of the ECB. Research and construction of models and designs of microelectronic elements in an extended temperature range (from –60°C to +300°C) (FNEF-2022-0006).”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ivanovo State University of Chemistry and Technology, Ivanovo, Russia

    A. M. Efremov

  2. Scientific Research Institute for System Analysis, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

    V. B. Betelin

  3. Korea University, 339-700, Sejong, South Korea

    K.-H. Kwon

Authors
  1. A. M. Efremov
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  2. V. B. Betelin
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  3. K.-H. Kwon
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Correspondence to A. M. Efremov.

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Efremov, A.M., Betelin, V.B. & Kwon, KH. Plasma Parameters and Kinetics of Reactive-Ion Etching of Silicon in a C6F12O + Ar Mixture. Russ Microelectron 51, 247–254 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063739722040047

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063739722040047

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