In the present work, an investigation of the gas and surface phase behavior of ethylene glycol (EG) pulsed discharges is presented. Infrared and optical emission spectroscopy along with time‐resolved electron temperature (Te) and electron density (ne) measurements were employed in these pulsed EG plasmas to study the dynamics of monomer fragmentation and effective chemical feedback from boundary walls. Maximized retention of monomer functionality, (CH2CH2O)n, were seen in polymer deposits when processed at low values of average power (<20 W). This preservation of monomer functionality is attributed to the increase in effective collision time between electrons and EG molecules. Presented results correlated well with proposed ethylene glycol dissociation pathways in the pulsed discharge. magnified image
While plasmas using mixtures of SF6, C4F8, and Ar are widely used in deep silicon etching, very few studies have linked the discharge parameters to etching results. The authors form such linkages in this report. The authors measured the optical emission intensities of lines from Ar, F, S, SFx, CF2, C2, C3, and CS as a function of the percentage C4F8 in the gas flow, the total gas flow rate, and the bias power. In addition, the ion current density and electron temperature were measured using a floating Langmuir probe. For comparison, trenches were etched of various widths and the trench profiles (etch depth, undercut) were measured. The addition of C4F8 to an SF6/Ar plasma acts to reduce the availability of F as well as increase the deposition of passivation film. Sulfur combines with carbon in the plasma efficiently to create a large optical emission of CS and suppress optical emissions from C2 and C3. At low fractional flows of C4F8, the etch process appears to be controlled by the ion flux more so than by the F density. At large C4F8 fractional flows, the etch process appears to be controlled more by the F density than by the ion flux or deposition rate of passivation film. CF2 and C2 do not appear to cause deposition from the plasma, but CS and other carbon containing molecules as well as ions do.
Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) diagnostics have been employed for many years in plasma etch end point detection schemes. Unfortunately some newer process systems have much lower optical emission or limited optical access. To overcome such limitations, an OES diagnostic system making use of variable e-beam has been developed. That system is described and initial experimental results are presented. A strong correlation is observed between the optical emission intensity and e-beam current, a measurable electrical parameter. This correlation offers means to normalize optical signal and to be used as a feedback input to the electronics that control the plasma source. In addition there is a measurable response from the different lines due to energy of the electrons, indicating a new degree of freedom in the diagnostic that can be tapped for more precise analysis of end point.
In situ real-time monitoring of profile evolution during plasma etching of mesoporous low-dielectric-constant SiO 2 Novel technique to enhance etch selectivity of carbon antireflective coating over photoresist based on O 2 / CHF 3 / Ar gas chemistryIn process optical emission spectroscopy (OES) measurements, excitation mechanisms as dictated by the process plasma can be complex to analyze optical signals quantitatively. Applications of a new electron beam excitation method demonstrate distinct merits for plasma process diagnostics and process control. The electron energy control attribute of the method provides the means to optimize and monitor specific species optical emission in process chemistries to achieve process control such as endpoint. The authors present gas phase results from photoresist ash and SiO 2 etch using O 2 and CF 4 /Ar discharges, respectively. The effluent density variations as measured with the e-beam method during process stages demonstrate process endpoint detection. Simultaneous measurements with FTIR spectroscopy and direct plasma OES is also presented for comparison.
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