Electron-Beam Assisted Inductively Coupled Plasma for Quarter-Micron Etching Processes

Abstract

In order to enhance the etching rate at lower pressure, an electron-beam assisted inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactor was developed, in which the electron-beam was injected into the reactor through a thin polymer film, and a pattern of 0.2μm was etched on an Si wafer. We discussed the peculiarities of plasma produced by the above reactor in comparison with the data we got as a result of probe measurements. It was found that the electron-beam injection into the ICP decreases the floating and the plasma potentials and increases the electron temperature and the density slightly.