Etch characteristics of MgO thin films in Cl2/Ar, CH3OH/Ar and CH4/Ar plasmas

High density plasma etching of MgO thin films patterned with Ti (or TiN) hard masks was conducted using Cl2/Ar, CH3OH/Ar and CH4/Ar gases. As the concentration of each gas increased, the etch rate of MgO thin films decreased and there was no enhancement of etch profiles except for those obtained using CH4/Ar gas. The etch profiles of MgO thin films under CH4/Ar gas, which is non-corrosive and non-toxic, were improved without redeposition with increasing CH4 concentration. The enhancement of etch profiles in CH4/Ar gas was attributed to both the formation of a protective layer containing hydrogen and hydroxyl species on the sidewall of the patterns and the formation of magnesium compounds during the etching. Optical emission spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses showed that magnesium hydroxide was formed due to chemical reactions on the film surface under CH4/Ar gas. Additionally, the MgO thin films were found to be etched by a physical sputtering etching mechanism that was influenced by a chemical reaction.