Synchrotron radiation-induced surface-conductivity of SiO2 for modification of plasma charging

In this work, we investigate the electrical surface conductivity that is te mporarily induced in SiO2 by exposure to monochromatic vacuum-ultraviolet s ynchrotron radiation for modification of plasma charging. Special preproces sed test structures were exposed to controlled fluxes of monochromatic sync hrotron radiation in the range of 500-3000 Angstrom (approx. 4-25 eV), the energy band of most plasma vacuum-ultraviolet radiation. The highest oxide surface conductivity is achieved during irradiation by photons with energie s between 15 and 18 eV. This enhanced oxide surface conductivity holds the potential to discharge high-aspect ratio structures that charge up during p lasma processing due to electron shading, and thus minimize plasma-processi ng-induced damage to semiconductor devices. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)00316-8].