Atomic force microscopy investigation of surface roughness generated between SiO2 micro-pits in CHF3/Ar plasma |
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| Authors: | Maryam Alsadat Rad Kamarulazizi Ibrahim Khairudin Mohamed |
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| Institution: | 1. Nano Optoelectronics Research & Technology Lab, School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia;2. School of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Pinang, Malaysia |
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| Abstract: | The present paper investigates the surface roughness generated by reactive ion etching (RIE) on the location between silicon dioxide (SiO2) micro-pits structures. The micro-pit pattern on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) mask was created by an electron beam lithography tool. By using PMMA as a polymer resist mask layer for pattern transfer in RIE process, the carbon (C) content in etching process is increased, which leads to decrease of F/C ratio and causes domination of polymerization reactions. This leads to high surface roughness via self-organized nanostructure features generated on SiO2 surface which was analyzed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique. The etching chemistry of CHF3 plasma on PMMA masking layer and SiO2 is analyzed to explain the polymerization. The surface root-mean-square (RMS) roughness below 1 nm was achieved by decreasing the RF power to 150 W and process pressure lower than 10 mTorr. |
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| Keywords: | Surface roughness Reactive ion etching Fluorocarbon PMMA SiO2 Micro-pit |
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