| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1688944 | Vacuum | 2012 | 6 Pages |
In this work, we investigated the etching characteristics of TiO2 thin films and the selectivity of TiO2 to SiO2 in a BCl3/Ar inductively coupled plasma (ICP) system. The maximum etch rate of 84.68 nm/min was obtained for TiO2 thin films at a gas mixture ratio of BCl3/Ar (25:75%). In addition, etch rates were measured as a function of etching parameters, such as the RF power, DC-bias voltage and process pressure. Using the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis the accumulation of chemical reaction on the etched surface was investigated. Based on these data, the ion-assisted physical sputtering was proposed as the main etch mechanism for the BCl3-containing plasmas.
► The etching characteristics of TiO2 thin film were investigated by the etch parameters in an ICP. ► The characteristics of the plasma were estimated using OES. ► The TiO2 thin films follow the ion assisted chemical etching mechanism.
