Sidewall passivation layer thickness and composition profiles of etched silicon patterns from angle resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis

Abstract

In this study, we present a technique to analyze side wall passivation layers formed on silicon sidewalls after plasma processing. The thickness and chemical composition are derived from angle resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses. It is a non-destructive, quasi in situ method to determine profiles of the thickness and the chemical composition of passivation layers in trenches up to an aspect ratio of about 3. The performance of this technique to quantify the passivation layer thickness is compared to a standard technique using secondary electron microscopy images with respect to two different samples and is found to be at least equivalent. The possible uncertainties and limitations of this technique are discussed as well.