Ion Suppression for Studying Etch Inhibitor Layers

摘要

Etch inhibitor layers are key to anistropy for a number of dry etch processes, yet little is known about these layers because of the diffculty in analyzing them on the side walls where they form. This paper shows that a Al grid suspended above an etching surface can be used to suppress ion bombardment on the etch surface and allow the inhibitor to form on large horizontal surfaces which can easily be analyzed. This method was used to look at the polymeric inhibitor formed during Silicon etching in SF6/C2CIF5 with and without the presence of photoresist.