Ion-Bombardment-Enhanced Etching of Silicon

Abstract

A method is described which permits rapid and precise selective etching of silicon crystal surfaces without protecting any part of the surface during the etch procedure. Prior to the etching process the areas to be etched are subjected to an ion-bombardment treatment, which increases the etch rate in the bombarded surface layer compared to the etch rate of untreated silicon. Etching characteristics for silicon crystals bombarded with neon and argon are presented and shown to agree with theoretical predictions based on a simple model in which the etching characteristics are related to implantation-produced cluster damage.

Anodic Dissolution of N‐Type Gallium Arsenide under Illumination

“…14, on the other hand, the unbombarded area was selectively removed under illumination. As the thickness of the damaged layer was a function of the applied voltage for ions (14), the step depth produced in the dark was determined by the applied voltage for ions. Therefore, once the damaged layer had been removed the surface became very rough and the dissolution proceeded on the unbombarded area as shown in Fig.…”

Ion Bombarded‐Enhanced Etching of Indium Phosphide

“…Ion bombardment-enhanced (IBE) etching would be one of the most promising tools because this etching process can be characterized by ion species, incident ion energy, and ion dose used. In addition, this technique has a potential advantage of maskless selective etching of semiconductors if combined with a fine ion beam technology.The possibility of the IBE etching for Si has been reported by Gianola (1) and then clearly demonstrated by Mazey et aL (2) and by Gibbons et al (3). No report, however, has been published on the IBE etching of III-V compound semiconductors.…”

“…The possibility of the IBE etching for Si has been reported by Gianola (1) and then clearly demonstrated by Mazey et aL (2) and by Gibbons et al (3). No report, however, has been published on the IBE etching of III-V compound semiconductors.…”

Mass Spectrometric Study of ECR Microwave Plasma Etching of Si3N4 Films

“…Ion bombardment enhances significantly the etching rate[ 2-51 . It is believed that such an enhancement in etching rate by ion bombardment may be associated with the following mechanisms: (1) creation of damage or defects on the surface which initiatesthe spontaneous dissociative chemisorption of CFx; (2) dissociation of CFx which is absorbed on the surface ; and (3) destruction of the short range order set up by the repulsive interaction between the adspecies, that is, by the enhanced displacement of F atoms to produce more SiF 2 or SiF 3 adspecies, and therefore to induce the production of SiF 4 .…”