Etching-limiting process and origin of loading effects in silicon etching with hydrogen chloride gas

Abstract

The etching-limiting step in slow Si etching with HCl/H2 at atmospheric pressure was investigated. The etching was performed at a low etching rate below 10 nm/min in the temperature range of 1000–1100 °C. In the case of bare Si etching, it was confirmed that the etching rate showed little temperature dependence and was proportional to the equilibrium pressure of the etching by-product SiCl2 calculated by thermochemical analysis. In addition, the etching rates of Si(100) and (110) faces were almost the same. These results indicate that SiCl2 diffusion in the gas phase is the rate-limiting step. In the etching of the Si surface with SiO2 mask patterns, a strong loading effect (mask/opening pattern dependence of the etching rate) was observed. The simulation of the diffusion of gas species immediately above the Si surface revealed that the loading effect was attributed to the pattern-dependent diffusion of SiCl2.