Dry etching of silicon based semiconductor materials : plasma diagnostics and reaction mechanisms

Dartnell, Nicholas John (1993) Dry etching of silicon based semiconductor materials : plasma diagnostics and reaction mechanisms. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Abstract

The production of modern integrated circuits relies upon plasma processing to achieve the necessary definition of components in the device. The physics and chemistry of plasma processing are not however completely understood, and many important process parameters are still chosen empirically.

In this thesis in-situ mass spectrometry, optical emission spectroscopy and ellipsometry have been used to monitor the plasma etching of semiconductor materials. Information has been obtained on the gas phase chemistry and surface changes during the reactive ion etching of silicon(100), silicon dioxide on silicon(100) and silicon carbide on oxide covered silicon(100) wafers. Suitable conditions for the processing of such materials were found while an understanding of the chemistry involved was gained from interpretation of experimental data recorded and through kinetic modelling of the reaction processes.

In-situ and ex-situ ellipsometry have been compared as techniques for the characterisation of SIMOX silicon-on-insulator samples. In-situ ellipsometry during plasma etching was found to highlight important aspects of the SIMOX structure not previously observed, as well a complementing the conclusions found from the ex-situ non-destructive technique.

The role of energetic ions in etching wafer surfaces is another area of technological importance. Experimental ion energy distributions have been recorded at both the powered and grounded electrodes. Fortran programs have been written to simulate both situations, from which details of the plasma parameters may be obtained.

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