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Correlation between surface chemistry and ion energy dependence of the etch yield in multicomponent oxides etching

Authors :
Joëlle Margot
Roberto Morandotti
J. S. Poirier
L. Stafford
P. M. Bérubé
Paul F. Ndione
Mohamed Chaker
Source :
Journal of Applied Physics. 106:063302
Publication Year :
2009
Publisher :
AIP Publishing, 2009.

Abstract

The influence of surface chemistry in plasma etching of multicomponent oxides was investigated through measurements of the ion energy dependence of the etch yield. Using pulsed-laser-deposited CaxBa(1−x)Nb2O6 (CBN) and SrTiO3 thin films as examples, it was found that the etching energy threshold shifts toward values larger or smaller than the sputtering threshold depending on whether or not ion-assisted chemical etching is the dominant etching pathway and whether surface chemistry is enhancing or inhibiting desorption of the film atoms. In the case of CBN films etched in an inductively coupled Cl2 plasma, it is found that the chlorine uptake is inhibiting the etching reaction, with the desorption of nonvolatile NbCl2 and BaCl2 compounds being the rate-limiting step.

Details

ISSN :
10897550 and 00218979
Volume :
106
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Journal of Applied Physics
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........243bb16c890dc69539f460de3f6eb63e