TY - GEN
T1 - Plasma-induced damage and its control in plasma etching processes
AU - Samukawa, Seiji
PY - 2007/12/1
Y1 - 2007/12/1
N2 - The pulse-time-modulated (TM) plasma could reduce the ultraviolet (UV) photon induced defects in SiO2 film during the plasma etching process. In the TM plasma, the radio-frequency (RF) power for discharging plasma was modulated at a pulse-timing of a few tens microseconds. During the pulse-off period, UV photons radiation drastically decreased by reduction of electron energy in the plasma. As a result, UV photon-induced defects in SiO2 film, such as E′ center, could be reduced in the case of using the TM plasma, as compared with CW plasma. Additionally, we found that the state of E′ center generated in the TM plasma had lower energy level than that caused by the CW plasma. Then, lower temperature annealing was needed for the recovery of E′ center in the case of using TM plasma, whereas the CW plasma process needed higher temperature annealing. These results clarified that the exciting state of UV photon-induced defects in SiO2 film could be lowered by using the TM plasma.
AB - The pulse-time-modulated (TM) plasma could reduce the ultraviolet (UV) photon induced defects in SiO2 film during the plasma etching process. In the TM plasma, the radio-frequency (RF) power for discharging plasma was modulated at a pulse-timing of a few tens microseconds. During the pulse-off period, UV photons radiation drastically decreased by reduction of electron energy in the plasma. As a result, UV photon-induced defects in SiO2 film, such as E′ center, could be reduced in the case of using the TM plasma, as compared with CW plasma. Additionally, we found that the state of E′ center generated in the TM plasma had lower energy level than that caused by the CW plasma. Then, lower temperature annealing was needed for the recovery of E′ center in the case of using TM plasma, whereas the CW plasma process needed higher temperature annealing. These results clarified that the exciting state of UV photon-induced defects in SiO2 film could be lowered by using the TM plasma.
KW - Plasma materials-processing applications
KW - Pulse time modulation
KW - Semiconductor defects
KW - Ultraviolet radiation effects
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=47349133464&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=47349133464&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/ICICDT.2007.4299549
DO - 10.1109/ICICDT.2007.4299549
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:47349133464
SN - 1424407567
SN - 9781424407569
T3 - Proceedings 2007 IEEE International Conference on Integrated Circuit Design and Technology, ICICDT
SP - 101
EP - 104
BT - Proceedings 2007 IEEE International Conference on Integrated Circuit Design and Technology, ICICDT
T2 - 2007 IEEE International Conference on Integrated Circuit Design and Technology, ICICDT
Y2 - 30 May 2007 through 1 June 2007
ER -