Abstract
The etching of Au thin films have been performed in an inductively coupled CF<TEX>$_4$</TEX>/Cl<TEX>$_2$</TEX>/Ar plasma. The etch rates were measured as CF<TEX>$_4$</TEX> contents added from 0 to 30 % to Cl<TEX>$_2$</TEX>/Ar plasma, of which gas mixing ratio was fixed at 20%. Other parameters were fixed at an rf power of 700 W, a dc bias voltage of 150 V, a chamber pressure of 15 mTorr, and a substrate temperature of 3<TEX>$0^{\circ}C$</TEX>. The highest etch rate of the Au thin film was 3700 <TEX>$\AA$</TEX>m/min at a 10% additive CF<TEX>$_4$</TEX> into Cl<TEX>$_2$</TEX>/Ar plasma. The surface reaction of the etched Au thin films was investigated using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. XPS analysis indicated that Au reacted with Cl and formed Au-Cl, which is hard to remove on the surface because of its high melting point. The etching products could be sputtered by Ar ion bombardment.
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