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Journal of Applied Physics / Volume 108 / Issue 11 / ARTICLES / Interdisciplinary and General Physics

J. Appl. Phys. 108, 114914 (2010); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3517148 (11 pages)

XeF2-induced removal of SiO2 near Si surfaces at 300 K: An unexpected proximity effect.

J.-F. Veyan1, M. D. Halls2, S. Rangan3, D. Aureau1, X.-M. Yan4, and Y. J. Chabal1

1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, USA
2Accelrys, Inc., 10188 Telesis Court, San Diego, California 92121, USA
3Laboratory for Surface modification, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
4Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, San Jose, California, 95134, USA

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(Received 9 March 2010; accepted 21 October 2010; published online 13 December 2010)

XeF2 interaction with SiO2/Si stacks has been investigated to understand the role of Si in proximity of SiO2 during XeF2 exposures of Si/SiO2 stacks. In situ Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy, using a custom-made reaction cell compatible with high XeF2 pressures, reveals that, while pure SiO2 is not etched by XeF2, the oxide in SiO2/Si stacks is effectively removed when XeF2 has access to the silicon, i.e., when the Si in close proximity to the oxide is etched. Thick oxides ( ∼ 1–2 μm) are removed if sample edges are accessible, while thinner oxides (50–100 nm) are removed without requiring edge access. This unexpected SiO2 removal is found to be due to the formation of reactive fluorine species (XeF and F) evolved by the reaction of XeF2 with Si, which can, subsequently, etch SiO2. Calculations based on density functional theory provide critical insight into the underlying energetics and reaction pathways controlling XeF2 etching of both Si and SiO2.

© 2010 American Institute of Physics

Article Outline

  1. INTRODUCTION
  2. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
  3. COMPUTATIONAL METHODS
  4. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
    1. Gas phase studies
    2. Transmission IR studies
    3. Optical microscopy
  5. DISCUSSION AND COMPUTATIONAL RESULTS
  6. CONCLUSIONS

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KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

density functional theory, etching, Fourier transform spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, proximity effect (lithography), silicon, silicon compounds, xenon compounds

PACS

  • 81.65.Cf

    Surface cleaning, etching, patterning

  • 85.40.Hp

    Lithography, masks and pattern transfer

  • 07.57.Ty

    Infrared spectrometers, auxiliary equipment, and techniques

  • 82.80.Nj

    Fourier transform mass spectrometry

  • 71.15.Mb

    Density functional theory, local density approximation, gradient and other corrections

ARTICLE DATA

Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3517148

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

0021-8979 (print)  
1089-7550 (online)

Publisher

$abstract.society.value is a Member of CrossRef American Institute of Physics

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