Feature Profiles on Plasma Etch of Organic Films by a Temporal Control of Radical Densities and Real-Time Monitoring of Substrate Temperature

The precise etching of organic films with a low dielectric constant (low-k) in a dual-frequency capacitively coupled plasma etching reactor with a plasma generation of 100 MHz and an applied bias of 2 MHz employing a gas mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen was performed by real-time control of the densities of hydrogen (H) and nitrogen (N) radicals based on real-time measurement of the Si substrate temperature. H and N radical densities were monitored near the sidewall of the reactor by vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy, and temperature was monitored by an optical fiber-type low-coherence interferometer. On the basis of the results of surface analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, etched profiles were effectively determined from the chemical component of protection layers on the sidewall of the etched pattern affected by the ratio of H/(H+N) and substrate temperature. As the etching feature evolves, the ratio of radical density should be controlled temporally to maintain vertical profiles according to the change in substrate temperature. As a result, we have successfully realized an organic film with a vertical feature. These results indicate the need for autonomous control of the etch process based on real-time information on the plasma process for the next-generation ultrafine etching.