Tungsten etching mechanisms in CF₄/O₂ reactive ion etching plasmas

In situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), etch rate measurements, and optical emission spectroscopy have been used to examine the etching characteristics of tungsten in CF4/O2 reactive ion etching plasmas. It is found that the etch rate maximum of tungsten occurs at a proportion of oxygen in excess of that required to produce the maximum gas phase fluorine atom concentration, and this cannot be explained by using an etch mechanism model similar to that developed for silicon. XPS results have been used to identify tungsten oxyfluoride (WOF4) on the etched surface, and a model for tungsten etching is proposed that involves tungsten oxyfluoride as an important etch product.