UV laser-generated fluorine atom etching of polycrystalline Si, Mo, and Ti

Fluorine atoms, generated by the 193-nm ArF laser photolysis of carbonyl difluoride, have been shown to be capable of efficiently and selectively etching polycrystalline silicon deposited on silicon dioxide. The highly specific and rapid removal of either molybdenum or titanium deposited on silicon dioxide has been demonstrated with fluorine atoms produced by the ArF laser photolysis of nitrogen trifluoride.