Sputtering of SiO2 in a XeF2 and in a Cl2 atmosphere

Abstract

SiO2 has been bombarded by 3 keV Ar+ ions under simultaneous exposure to a thermal beam of Cl2 or XeF2. Mass spectra and time-of-flight distributions of the sputtered species have been measured. It is observed that during XeF2 exposure the sputtering yield of SiO2 is enhanced with a factor of 2.3. After ionizing the neutral ejected Si species, we have detected SiF+x (x=0–4) and SiOF+y ( y=0–2). The kinetic energy distributions of these particles indicate that the newly formed species have been bound loosely to the lattice and that they are sputtered predominantly by a collision cascade mechanism. The results are explained by assuming that adsorbed F atoms are mixed into subsurface layers in which Si–F bond formation takes place. Hardly any chemical enhancement of the sputtering yield of SiO2 is observed when Cl2 is added. In this case the Si species are detected as SiCl+x and SiOCl+y (x, y=0–2). The chlorine peak (Cl+) is an order of magnitude higher. The kinetic energy distribution of Cl shows that most of the chlorine is in the lattice chemically unbound. From the measurements it is concluded that the heat of formation determines that in the collision cascade Si–F bonds are formed while Si–Cl bonds are not. Differences in the enhancement of the sputtering yield between silicon and SiO2 can also be explained by differences in heat of formation.