Study on plasma etching of beta-SiC thin films in SF6 and the SF6+O-2 mixtures

Plasma etching(PE) of cubic beta-SiC single crystalline thin films produced via chemical vapor deposition(CVD) has been performed in SF6 and the SF6 O-2 mixtures. Experimental results show that the maxima of etching rate ar e reached when gas mixing ratio is about 40 %. The Auger energy spectra ind icate that PE process in SF6 and the SF6 + O-2 mixtures does not yield a re sidual SC with a C-rich surface. This technique and experimental results ma y serve as the foundation of fabricating various devices of SiC.