Electron-impact-induced anisotropic etching of silicon by hydrogen

The etch rate of silicon in a hydrogen low-pressure discharge plasma can be strongly enhanced by electron bombardment, reaching presently up to 1000 Å/min. The etch rate increases linearly with increasing electron current density and hydrogen pressure (range 0.05–0.7 mbar) and decreases with increasing temperature, yielding an activation energy of –4.2 kcal/mole in a temperature range of 80 to 300°C. The etching remains anisotropic within the whole pressure range studied.