Origin of electrical signals for plasma etching end point detection: Comparison of end point signals and electron density

Sobolewski, Mark A.; Lahr, David L.

doi:10.1116/1.4737615

Cited by 13 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 86 publications

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“…Endpoint detection by electrical and spectroscopic characterization techniques of plasma processes has been used extensively in device manufacture to determine when to stop etching. [8][9][10] Endpoints of processes can be detected by optical changes when the surface derived species no longer emit while changes to the electrical properties of the plasma [e.g., the electron density (N e ), electron temperatures (T e ), rf bias impedance, etc.] can also tell the state of surfaces, walls, and gaseous species flowing into the plasma.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of surface derived hydrocarbon impurities on Ar plasma properties

Fox-Lyon¹,

Oehrlein²,

Godyak³

2014

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films

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The authors report on Langmuir probe measurements that show that hydrocarbon surfaces in contact with Ar plasma cause changes of electron energy distribution functions due to the flux of hydrogen and carbon atoms released by the surfaces. The authors compare the impact on plasma properties of hydrocarbon species gasified from an etching hydrocarbon surface with injection of gaseous hydrocarbons into Ar plasma. They find that both kinds of hydrocarbon injections decrease electron density and slightly increase electron temperatures of low pressure Ar plasma. For low percentages of impurities ($1% impurity in Ar plasma explored here), surface-derived hydrocarbon species and gas phase injected hydrocarbon molecules cause similar changes of plasma properties for the same number of hydrocarbon molecules injected into Ar with a decrease in electron density of $4%.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…can also tell the state of surfaces, walls, and gaseous species flowing into the plasma. [10][11][12] Ar plasma interaction with hydrocarbon films is of interest for multiple applications. Hydrocarbon gas (CH 4 , C 2 H 2 , etc.)…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of surface derived hydrocarbon impurities on Ar plasma properties

Fox-Lyon¹,

Oehrlein²,

Godyak³

2014

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films

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“…Plasma diagnostics at conditions of reactive r-HiPIMS and r-HiPIMS + ECWR depositions were done by a so-called RF planar probe, which is described in detail in reference [34]. This method has origin in Sobolewski method presented in reference [35][36][37]. The detailed experimental description together with Figures S1-S4 are in the Supplementary Materials.…”

Section: Plasma Diagnostics By Rf Planar Probementioning

confidence: 99%

Semiconducting p-Type Copper Iron Oxide Thin Films Deposited by Hybrid Reactive-HiPIMS + ECWR and Reactive-HiPIMS Magnetron Plasma System

et al. 2020

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A reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (r-HiPIMS) and a reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering combined with electron cyclotron wave resonance plasma source (r-HiPIMS + ECWR) were used for the deposition of p-type CuFexOy thin films on glass with SnO2F conductive layer (FTO). The aim of this work was to deposit CuFexOy films with different atomic ratio of Cu and Fe atoms contained in the films by these two reactive sputtering methods and find deposition conditions that lead to growth of films with maximum amount of delafossite phase CuFeO2. Deposited copper iron oxide films were subjected to photoelectrochemical measurement in cathodic region in order to test the possibility of application of these films as photocathodes in solar hydrogen production. The time stability of the deposited films during photoelectrochemical measurement was evaluated. In the system r-HiPIMS + ECWR, an additional plasma source based on special modification of inductively coupled plasma, which works with an electron cyclotron wave resonance ECWR, was used for further enhancement of plasma density ne and electron temperature Te at the substrate during the reactive sputtering deposition process. A radio frequency (RF) planar probe was used for the determination of time evolution of ion flux density iionflux at the position of the substrate during the discharge pulses. Special modification of this probe to fast sweep the probe system made it possible to determine the time evolution of the tail electron temperature Te at energies around floating potential Vfl and the time evolution of ion concentration ni. This plasma diagnostics was done at particular deposition conditions in pure r-HiPIMS plasma and in r-HiPIMS with additional ECWR plasma. Generally, it was found that the obtained ion flux density iionflux and the tail electron temperature Te were systematically higher in case of r-HiPIMS + ECWR plasma than in pure r-HiPIMS during the active part of discharge pulses. Furthermore, in case of hybrid discharge plasma excitation, r-HiPIMS + ECWR plasma has also constant plasma density all the time between active discharge pulses ni ≈ 7 × 1016 m−3 and electron temperature Te ≈ 4 eV, on the contrary in pure r-HiPIMS ni and Te were negligible during the “OFF” time between active discharge pulses. CuFexOy thin films with different atomic ration of Cu/Fe were deposited at different conditions and various crystal structures were achieved after annealing in air, in argon and in vacuum. Photocurrents in cathodic region for different achieved crystal structures were observed by chopped light linear voltammetry and material stability by chronoamperometry under simulated solar light and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Optimization of depositions conditions results in the desired Cu/Fe ratio in deposited films. Optimized r-HiPIMS and r-HiPIMS + ECWR plasma deposition at 500 °C together with post deposition heat treatment at 650 °C in vacuum is essential for the formation of stable and photoactive CuFeO2 phase.

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“…Various plasma monitoring techniques, such as plasma impedance monitoring (PIM), cut-off probe, Langmuir probe, and optical emission spectroscopy (OES), have been developed for EPD. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] OES is a widely used methodology for EPD because it is easy to install and noninvasive with collecting optical emissions through viewports. Currently, most EPD methodologies with OES use a few wavelengths related to etching reactants or reaction products.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spectral clustering algorithm for real‐time endpoint detection of silicon nitride plasma etching

Lee

Choi

Kim

et al. 2023

Plasma Processes & Polymers

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The spectral clustering algorithm (SCA) is developed for endpoint detection (EPD) of Si 3 N 4 plasma etching using optical emission spectroscopy (OES). OES signals are collected in real-time and filtered using discrete wavelet transform (DWT).The SCA using 3648 full-spectrum wavelengths with DWT filtering improves signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by 2.78 times compared to single-wavelength related to N 2 molecule in 1.0% relative area etching. The wavelengths

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Origin of electrical signals for plasma etching end point detection: Comparison of end point signals and electron density

Cited by 13 publications

References 86 publications

Effect of surface derived hydrocarbon impurities on Ar plasma properties

Effect of surface derived hydrocarbon impurities on Ar plasma properties

Semiconducting p-Type Copper Iron Oxide Thin Films Deposited by Hybrid Reactive-HiPIMS + ECWR and Reactive-HiPIMS Magnetron Plasma System

Spectral clustering algorithm for real‐time endpoint detection of silicon nitride plasma etching

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