Fine Pattern Etching of Molybdenum Thin Film and Silicon Substrate by Using Atmospheric Line-Shaped Microplasma Source

Abstract

An atmospheric line-shaped microplasma source was developed for fine pattern etching. Observation of plasma emission of the developed plasma source has revealed that the finest plasma line is formed when helium (He) gas is supplied to the inner gas feed and reaction gas to the outer gas feeds. When reaction gas is supplied to the outer gas feeds, fluorine radical (F*) emission intensity increases with the gas flow rate, eventually exceeding the maximum emission intensity obtained when a mixture of reaction gas and He gas is supplied to the inner gas feed. Fine pattern etching of molybdenum thin film and silicon substrate was experimentally carried out using microplasma sources in two different configurations: one with the copper electrode covered to protect it from plasma exposure (type 1), and the other with the aluminum electrode end knife-edged and exposed to a plasma (type 2). The experiment revealed that the type 2 source provides a higher etching rate than of the type 1 source. The type 2 source can produce a fine etched pattern with lines of several ten to several hundred µm width. The maximum etching rate of silicon substrate is 79.0 µm/min.