Etch Mechanism and Temperature Regimes of an Atmospheric Pressure Chlorine-Based Plasma Jet Process

• Published in: Plasma processes and polymers Vol. 13; no. 11; pp. 1128 - 1135
• Main Authors: Piechulla, Peter, Bauer, Jens, Boehm, Georg, Paetzelt, Hendrik, Arnold, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: atmospheric plasma jet; Atmospherics; Carbon tetrachloride; chlorine plasma; Etching; Formations; Plasma; plasma etching; Precursors; Silicon; Surface temperature; Temperature; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
• ISSN: 1612-8850; 1612-8869
• DOI: 10.1002/ppap.201600071

Reactive atmospheric plasma jets containing halogenous compounds are employed as locally acting tools for surface figure shaping or surface modification in ultra‐precision surface machining technologies. In the current study, the interaction between an atmospheric CCl4/O2 containing plasma jet with silicon surface is investigated aiming at elucidating the chemical kinetics of surface reactions. Different process regimes are identified comprising material removal as well as polymeric and oxide layer formation, which depend on the ratio of the reactive components and substrate surface temperature. XPS and SEM measurements support the findings. The interaction of an atmospheric plasma jet fed by CCl4/O2 as precursor gases with a silicon surface is investigated. Different regimes for etching and layer formation are identified. Depending on the precursor ratio and substrate surface temperature polymeric CClx or silicon oxide layers are formed leading to decreased etch rates. XPS and SEM measurements reveal surface roughness structures corresponding to the interplay of etching and layer deposition.