ON THE ORIGIN OF CHARGING DAMAGE DURING ETCHING OF ANTENNA STRUCTURES

Monte Carlo simulations of charging and profile evolution in patterned antenna structures during etching in high-density plasmas reveal a ra pid change in the potential of the lines at end point, which causes a surge in electron tunneling through thin gate oxides and possibly char ging damage. The condition of the substrate (grounded vs. floating) de termines the magnitude of the surge and whether it will be followed by a steady-state current until all lines of the pattern become disconne cted. A reduction in damage is possible by controlling the substrate c ondition, which may be assessed through notching experiments.