Abstract
Although advanced ceramics such as Y2O3 ceramics are used in semiconductor etching equipment for their excellent erosion resistance, the influence of plasma exposure on the mechanical properties of Y2O3 ceramics is not fully understood. In this study, the Y2O3 ceramics were prepared by vacuum sintering and the mechanical properties, microstructure, and surface composition of the Y2O3 ceramics were investigated after different times of plasma exposure. Scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to study the surface morphology and the corresponding reaction layer. The microstructural evolution of Y2O3 ceramics in plasma reveals the initial decrease in mechanical properties corresponding to the creation of nanoscale pits on the surface by ion sputtering. The subsequent apparent improvement in the mechanical properties of Y2O3 ceramics can be attributed to the formation of a passivation layer of YOxFy by reactive-ion etching. This finding provides a valuable insight into the erosion resistance of Y2O3 ceramics in CF4 etching plasma.
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