Interhalogen plasma chemistries for the etching of NiMnSb

NiMnSb thin films have been etched in plasma chemistries ICl and IBr, under inductively coupled plasma conditions. These interhalogens produce practic al etch rates (500-1500 Angstrom/min(-1)) provided the incident ion energy is above threshold values (similar to 120 eV for ICl, similar to 230eV for IBr) and there is a balance of etch product formation and desorption throug h control of the ion and reactive neutral fluxes. Both chemistries appear p romising for pattern transfer in NiMnSb- based spin polarized magnetic devi ces. (C) 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S1099- 0062( 98) 09- 032- 4. All rights reserved.