Etching mechanism Of Y2O3 thin films in high density Cl-2/Ar plasma

In this study Y2O3 thin films were etched with an inductively coupled plasm a. The etch rate of Y2O3 and the selectivity of Y2O3 to YMnO3 were investig ated by varying the Cl-2/(Cl-2+Ar) gas mixing ratio. The maximum etch rate of Y2O3 and the selectivity of Y2O3 to YMnO3 were 302 Angstrom /min and 2.4 , respectively, at a Cl-2/(Cl-2+Ar) gas mixing ratio of 0.2. Based on x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, it was concluded that die Y2O3 thin f ilm was dominantly etched by Ar ion bombardment and was assisted by the che mical reaction of a Cl radical. This result was confirmed by secondary ion mass spectroscopy analysis with the presence of a Y-Cl bond at 124.4 (amu). (C) 2001 American Vacuum Society.