Hello everybody,
I have an RIE system. I want to etch Al2O3 with SF6 and O2. regardless of the parameter setting, I would like to know which chemical reactions occur when etching Al2O3 with SF6/O2 or CF4/O2 or Ar/O2 ? did anyone have this experience ?
thanks
For CF4, this article has a detailed CHxFy section (there are also comments on SF6, but that's probably not enough for you):
Article Etch characteristics of Al2O3 in ICP and MERIE plasma etchers
Jürgen Weippert , thanks for the information. In this paper there is a lot of information about the etching rate and selectivity but no information about which
chemical reactions occur when etching Al2O3 with different gases (for example SF6 or CF4 with a small amount of O2)
The chemical section is small compared to the etch rate measurements, but there is a paragraph in it talking about polymer and AlFx formation.
Yes, you are right Jürgen Weippert thanks
The question now is whether always non-volatile AlF3-byproduct generated when Al2O3 is etched with F-based gases. does anyone know if are there other F-based gases that produce volatile by-product? When non-volatile byproduct generate, the etching rate decrease because the non-volatile byproduct deposite on the surface and stop the etching process
Dear Khalid Abdellaoui many thanks for this very interesting technical question. In addition to the valuable advice given by Jürgen Weippert please have a look at the interesting article cited below. In this study the Japanese authors found that upon etching of Al2O3 surfaces with SF6/O2 plasma fluorination reactions occur to a lesser extent than when using CF4/O2 plasma. However, both fluorinated (AlOxFy and AlFx) and metallic (metallic Al) reaction products were observed on Al2O3
samples irradiated by the SF6/O2 plasma.:
Fluorination mechanisms of Al2O3 and Y2O3 surfaces irradiated by high-density CF4/O2 and SF6/O2 plasmas
(see attached pdf file)
In this context please also have a look at the following useful article:
Application of ultra-thin aluminum oxide etch mask made by atomic layer deposition technique
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/61/1/074/pdf
This paper is freely available as public full text. You might also want to check the answers given to a closely related RG question:
RIE of Al2O3 with SF6?
https://www.researchgate.net/post/RIE_of_Al2O3_with_SF6
Good luck with your research and best wishes! 👍
Dear Frank T. Edelmann many thanks for your Information 👍
With regard to the second paper (Application of ultra-thin aluminum oxide etch mask made by atomic layer deposition technique), there is the possibility of making the thin layer or another thin layer without CVD, PVD or ALD but only with Plasma etching (RIE, or ICP) ?
thanks
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