About cookies on this site Our websites require some cookies to function properly (required). In addition, other cookies may be used with your consent to analyze site usage, improve the user experience and for advertising. For more information, please review your options. By visiting our website, you agree to our processing of information as described in IBM’sprivacy statement. To provide a smooth navigation, your cookie preferences will be shared across the IBM web domains listed here.
Publication
Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces and Films
Conference paper
Dry surface cleaning in integrated vacuum reactive ion etching processes
Abstract
A study on dry cleaning in reactive ion etching (RIE) is conducted on a multichamber system consisting of several etch reactors. Particularly, the effects of a thin oxide residual layer on etch micromasking of selective silicon RIE are examined. An unintentionally grown oxide can be introduced, for example, during a resist removal process as well as an air exposure. To quantitatively evaluate surface cleanliness, a method for analyzing the formation of thin surface oxide is developed. The technique utilizes the selectivity property of a chlorine plasma to oxide. A criterion for a clean surface is defined based on the chlorine emission line intensity during a plasma exposure of a silicon surface. The effectiveness of a cleaning process, and its impact on the surface roughness following a selective silicon RIE process, are evaluated. © 1992, American Vacuum Society. All rights reserved.