Plasma etching of positively sloped silicon structures

Shouliang Lai; Ken Mackenzie; Dave Johnson; Russ Westerman

doi:10.1117/12.714780

7 March 2007 Plasma etching of positively sloped silicon structures

Shouliang Lai, Ken Mackenzie, Dave Johnson, Russ Westerman

Proceedings Volume 6462, Micromachining Technology for Micro-Optics and Nano-Optics V and Microfabrication Process Technology XII; 646209 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.714780
Event: MOEMS-MEMS 2007 Micro and Nanofabrication, 2007, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

The fabrication of 3D high aspect ratio structures with positively sloped profiles has found extensive applications both in the front-end and in the back-end semiconductor manufacturing. Often, high etch rates are required and plasma etching processes with F-based chemistries need to be employed. However, plasma etching of silicon in F-based chemistries generally results in so-called "cusping" due to its isotropic nature. Of particular interest are the etch profiles with slope angles in the range of 50-80^o and without "cusping" at the top portion of etched structures. For 3D packaging applications, for example, even small cusping could degrade the step-coverage of diffusion barrier layer and metal seed layer and cause void formation in subsequent metal filling processes. At Oerlikon USA Inc., a proprietary process scheme has been developed to etch deep and positively sloped silicon structures (vias, trenches, etc.) at high etch rates while eliminating cusping with precise profile control. The new process scheme employs main plasma etch steps using gas mixtures and deposition pulse steps. And the deposition pulses intermittently punctuate the main etch steps. Using standard gases, such as SF₆ and C₄F₈, sloped Si trenches with slope angle of ~60^o are etched in both 6" and 8" wafers, at etch rates of ~7.0 (micron)m/min. Etch selectivity to photoresist mask materials exceeds 100:1. The process scheme and underlying mechanism will be presented in this work.

Citation Download Citation

Shouliang Lai, Ken Mackenzie, Dave Johnson, and Russ Westerman "Plasma etching of positively sloped silicon structures", Proc. SPIE 6462, Micromachining Technology for Micro-Optics and Nano-Optics V and Microfabrication Process Technology XII, 646209 (7 March 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.714780

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