STUDIES OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE TOPOGRAPHY OF SELECTED MATERIALS AS AFUNCTION OF ETCHING IN REACTIVE AND NONREACTIVE RF PLASMAS

Examples of the evolution of the topography of selected materials (syn thetic graphite, molybdenum disulphide and muscovite mica) as a functi on of reactive (in oxygen) and nonreactive (in argon) etching in a 13. 56 MHz plasma are considered. The dependence of the observed topograph y and its regular and semi-regular characteristic details on the power levels, gas pressures and treatment times is demonstrated, particular ly at sub-micron scales. The topographical images, derived roughness a nd other data (obtained variously using scanning tunnelling microscopy and atomic force microscopy) are discussed with respect to the layer lattice structure of the materials processed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scienc e S.A.