Electron Cyclotron Resonance Based Chemically Assisted Plasma Etching Of Silicon in CF4/Ar Plasma.

Etching of silicon in Chemical Assisted Plasma Etching mode with CF4 gas being sprayed on the surface of wafer in process chamber and Ar fed to ECR cavity in Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) source was carried out. The plasma source was 2.45 GHz microwave source superimposed with mirror type magnetic field configuration to have resonance. Effect of CF4/Ar ratio and substrate bias on etching rate of silicon and anisotropy of etched profile has been investigated. The variation of etch rate and anisotropy has been correlated to the availability of fluorine atoms and other radicals available for etching. Optimum parameters required for etching of silicon in chemical assisted plasma etching with self-assembled ECR plasma source has been established. © 2005 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]