Effect of time-modulation bias on polysilicon gate etching

Abstract

The etching characteristics were studied via time-modulation bias (bias pulsing) by varying the pulsing parameters. The etch profiles were verified using polysilicon gate structures with dense and isolated patterns. Ion energy was defined as the peak-to-peak voltage (V pp) controlled by the RF bias power. The durations of the on period and off period (off time) of bias pulsing were adjusted by the pulse frequency and duty cycle. Profile evolution was observed in the variations in V pp and off time. Increasing the ion energy induced vertical profiles of dense patterns and the tapered profiles of isolated patterns. Extending the off time of bias pulsing induced tapered profiles of dense patterns and vertical profiles of isolated patterns. These results indicated that increasing the ion energy and pulse off time simultaneously was the direction to achieve anisotropic etch profiles for both the isolated and dense patterns.