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This research investigates how varying gas mixtures affect plasma parameters and silicon etching rates.

January 25, 2026

On relationships between plasma parameters and silicon etching kinetics in CF4 + Ar/He AND CHF3 + Ar/He gas mixtures

Key Points

This research investigates how varying gas mixtures affect plasma parameters and silicon etching rates.
Comparative study of plasma parameters and etching kinetics using CF4 + Ar/He and CHF3 + Ar/He gas mixtures.
Measurement of fluorine atom formation rates and densities during etching processes.
Analysis of the impact of gas substitution on silicon etching rates and reaction probabilities.
Substituting argon with helium alters plasma parameters significantly.
Decreased fluorine atom formation rate and density leads to lower silicon etching rates.
Effective probability for Si + xF reaction increases despite decreased etching rate, indicating complex interactions.

Abstract

A comparative study of both plasma parameters and reactive-ion etching kinetics of silicon in CF4 + Ar/He and CHF3 + Ar/He gas mixtures was carried out. It was shown that the substitution of argon by helium a) disturbs electro-physical plasma parameters; and b) causes decrease in both fluorine atom formation rate and density. The latter lowers silicon etching rate, but results in increasing effective probability for Si + xF → SiFx heterogeneous reaction at nearly constant surface temperature. This phenomenon is due to decreasing plasma polymerizing ability.

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Cite This Study

Alexander Efremov (Wed,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6975b36bfeba4585c2d6edb5 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.7868/s2410993225030042

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