Accurate argon cluster-ion sputter yields: Measured yields and effect of the sputter threshold in practical depth-profiling by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry

Cumpson, Peter J.; Portolés, José F.; Barlow, Anders J.; Sano, Naoko

doi:10.1063/1.4823815

Cited by 44 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…10). Similarly, the physical sputter yield data of SiO 2 for Ar + ion bombardment 95,122,124,128,[133][134][135][136][137] show significant scatter (see Fig. 11).…”

Section: Issues and Needsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atomic Layer Etching at the Tipping Point: An Overview

Oehrlein

Metzler

2015

ECS J. Solid State Sci. Technol.

225

162

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The ability to achieve near-atomic precision in etching different materials when transferring lithographically defined templates is a requirement of increasing importance for nanoscale structure fabrication in the semiconductor and related industries. The use of ultra-thin gate dielectrics, ultra thin channels, and sub-20 nm film thicknesses in field effect transistors and other devices requires near-atomic scale etching control and selectivity. There is an emerging consensus that as critical dimensions approach the sub-10 nm scale, the need for an etching method corresponding to Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), i.e. Atomic Layer Etching (ALE), has become essential, and that the more than 30-year quest to complement/replace continuous directional plasma etching (PE) methods for critical applications by a sequence of individual, self-limited surface reaction steps has reached a crucial stage. A key advantage of this approach relative to continuous PE is that it enables optimization of the individual steps with regard to reactant adsorption, self-limited etching, selectivity relative to other materials, and damage of critical surface layers. In this overview we present basic approaches to ALE of materials, discuss similarities/crucial differences relative to thermal and plasma-enhanced ALD, and then review selected results on ALE of materials aimed at pattern transfer. The overview concludes with a discussion of opportunities and challenges ahead. A requirement of increasing importance for nanoscale device fabrication is the ability to achieve atomic scale etching control and materials selectivity during pattern transfer.1-8 An etching method corresponding to Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), i.e. Atomic Layer Etching (ALE), is expected to satisfy these needs as critical dimensions continue to shrink below the 10 nm scale.Demonstrations of self-limited dry etching methods capable of near-atomic resolution have a long history in the dry etching community and a brief review will be presented below. Key challenges for these approaches have been specialized equipment, long process times and low throughput.9,10 However, a recent demonstration using a commercial plasma etch tool 10 and activities within the dry etching community 11 provide indications that the situation has changed, and that we may have reached for ALE the Tipping Point which Gladwell defined as the "the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point" when "ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread like viruses do".12 This is due to several factors, including unprecedented demands on dry etching technology introduced by the semiconductor device evolution according to Moore's law that can be satisfied by atomic layer etching, advanced capabilities in plasma etch, and the existence of a critical level of information on plasma etch and ALD methods as applied in the semiconductor fabrication space.In this article we will provide a review of background of these approaches, and focus on issues that have to be overcome for widespread implement...

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“…10). Similarly, the physical sputter yield data of SiO 2 for Ar + ion bombardment 95,122,124,128,[133][134][135][136][137] show significant scatter (see Fig. 11).…”

Section: Issues and Needsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atomic Layer Etching at the Tipping Point: An Overview

Oehrlein

Metzler

2015

ECS J. Solid State Sci. Technol.

225

162

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show abstract

“…When we consider the following three important corrosion products of Zn and Zn-alloy coated steel -hydrozincite, simonkolleite and zinc hydroxide -ion etching may at first lead to the erroneous assumption of the appearance or enrichment of zinc oxide at depth. In relation to developments in sputter equipment, it is notable that, in addition to Ar cluster guns [9], sources of buckminsterfullerene clusters [33] have been available for some time. We anticipate that oxygen cluster guns will soon be used in common commercial setups, where they may provide higher sputter rates than argon clusters for inorganic compounds.…”

Section: Ar Cluster Sputtering On Feomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The present work focused on Fe(II) oxide and hydrozincite as two representative corrosion products that are susceptible to degradation. Furthermore, the potential of newer and more sophisticated sputter systems such as cluster guns [8,9] was tested using both materials, since the operation of such devices (e.g., providing Ar clusters and buckminsterfullerene C 60 clusters) has already shown promising results in other fields [7,10,11,12,13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

XPS study of the effects of long-term Ar+ ion and Ar cluster sputtering on the chemical degradation of hydrozincite and iron oxide

et al. 2015

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“…2. Note also that a recent investigation by Cumpson et al identified several polymers with significantly lower sputter yields than PC upon 4 keV Ar 1000 bombardment, such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) and polyether ether ketone, which are both semicrystalline polymers [51]. The experimental sputtering yields of inorganic materials such as Si, SiO 2 and Au were also compiled by Seah in [49].…”

Section: Projectile Penetration Cratering and Sputteringmentioning

confidence: 95%