SEMI U
This course discusses the fundamentals of plasma assisted phenomena and reactive ion etching (RIE) processes. The emphasis is on the physical and chemical processes that determine the consequences of a reactive gas plasma/surface interaction. The role of energetic ions as encountered in RIE systems is discussed in detail and the factors which influence anisotropy of etching are highlighted. Plasma-assisted etching equipment is described including capacitively coupled, inductively coupled and wave-generated plasmas sources.
The instructor discusses the applied aspects of plasma-assisted etching from a general point of view. The emphasis is on mechanistic understanding. The etching of Si and its compounds is covered in detail. The chemistries used in the etching of other technology-related materials such as Al, organics, and III-V compounds are summarized. Other topics presented include selectivity, loading, ARDE and feature scale problems, damage, and issues associated with high-density plasma RIE. A section on plasma diagnostics and ion-beam based etching methods is briefly discussed.