We investigated how fluorocarbon (CF) film formation evolves from the beginning of the etching process and how it reaches a steady state at a specific thickness. Using in-situ time-resolved infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection method, we measured the spectra every 2 s and observed CF film formation during plasma etching of silicon oxide. The observed spectra overlapped: a band at around 1200-1400 cm −1 caused by CF bonds overlapped with a trough at below 1300 cm −1 caused by silicon oxygen bonds. By deconvolving each component of the spectra in the series, we obtained the time-resolved intensity profiles. We found that the CF film was deposited and that its thickness reached a steady state during etching. The time evolution was fitted by a model based on the balance of rates between deposition and sputtering of the CF film.
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