INTERACTIVE EFFECTS IN REACTIVE ION ETCHING OF W1-XGEX

Reactive ion etching characteristics of chemical vapor deposition-depo sited W1-xGex alloys in Cl-2, SF6, and SF6/O-2/He plasmas were investi gated. The interactive role of the germanium component in the overall etch process was unraveled. To this aim etch rates were studied as a f unction of the Ge content and at different temperatures. Etched profil es give useful additional information about the nature of the etch mec hanism. The underlying surface reactions were more quantitatively iden tified by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy on dry etched surfaces. (C) 1997 American Vacuum Society.