Surface properties of etched ITO thin films using high density plasma

The etching characteristics of ITO in a BCl3/Ar plasma, including the etch rate and selectivity of ITO, were investigated. The maximum etch rate of 62.8 nm/min for the ITO thin films was obtained at a BCl3/Ar gas mixing ratio of 25%/75%. Ion bombardment by physical sputtering was required to obtain such high etch rates, due to the relatively low volatility of the by-products formed during the etching. The chemical reactions on the etched surfaces were investigated using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and the preferential losses on the etched surfaces were investigated using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).