The changes which occur in surface features during ion etching are investigated from the theoretical analysis based on the dependence of etch rate on the angle of ion incidence. The practical applicabilities of the theoretical results are shown by the experiment on etching of fused quartz with an RF sputtering apparatus. The main results obtained are as follows:
(1) The etch rate
V(θ) (θ; the angle of ion incidence) in the direction of ion incidence is expressed in the form;
V(θ) =
V0(1+
A sin
2 θ)sec θ. By choosing the suitable value of
A,
V(θ) is in quantitative agreement with the experimental values for various materials. The value of
A for fused quartz is 3.
(2) The variation of the surface topography obeys the eikonal equation in optics. Therefore, the features of etched surface are equivalent to those of the wave fronts which propagate with the constant velocity (2
A+1)
V0 in the direction of the normal to the wave-front.
(3) The etched surface comprises many spherical concavities.
(4) The surface roughness decreases in proportion to (2
A+1) and the square of the frequency.
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