Silicon nitride etching in high- and low-density plasmas using SF6/O2/N2 mixtures

Results of a comparative study of SiNx, SiO2 and Si etching in high- and low-density O2–N2 based plasmas with small additions of SF6 are presented. Higher selectivities of SiNx etching over both SiO2 (up to 50–70) and Si (up to 20) are obtained in a high-density reactor as compared with low-density...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of vacuum science & technology. A, Vacuum, surfaces, and films Vacuum, surfaces, and films, 2003-03, Vol.21 (2), p.461-469
Main Authors: Reyes-Betanzo, C., Moshkalyov, S. A., Swart, J. W., Ramos, A. C. S.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Results of a comparative study of SiNx, SiO2 and Si etching in high- and low-density O2–N2 based plasmas with small additions of SF6 are presented. Higher selectivities of SiNx etching over both SiO2 (up to 50–70) and Si (up to 20) are obtained in a high-density reactor as compared with low-density reactive ion etching. Plasma and surface processes responsible for etching are analyzed. Kinetics of NO molecules responsible for enhanced nitride etching is shown to be distinctly different for low- and high-density plasma conditions. Possible ways of further optimization of the process are discussed.
ISSN:0734-2101
1520-8559
DOI:10.1116/1.1547703