Spatially resolved optical spectroscopy of plasma etching systems

Abstract

We summarise results from an extensive study of the emission of a CF 4/O 2 discharge (0.2 torr, 70 W, 62.5 kHz), in the presence of Si and thermally grown SiO 2 substrates. We present data relating to spectrally and spatially resolved emission, from which we conclude for etching of Si that F atoms are the most important agent, that energy is imparted to the surface from metastable species of high energy content and that electron spin angular momentum is conserved in gas-surface reactions. A much more detailed account of this work will be presented in a subsequent issue of this journal.