KEYWORDS: Contamination, Reactive ion etching, Etching, Laser damage threshold, Chemical analysis, Systems modeling, Silica, Scanning electron microscopy, Polymers, Optical fabrication
We investigate contamination induced in grating-like structures during the etching process as a possible precursor to laser-induced damage. Our experimental model utilizes 5-mm line structures fabricated in E-beam–deposited coatings of silica using reactive ion etching (RIE) and reactive ion beam etching (RIBE). This makes it possible to compare the behavior in the pillars and trench regions. The results suggest that surface contaminants are primarily fluorinated polymers, while embedded contaminants consist primarily of carbon with very low detection of fluorine. Samples fabricated by the RIBE method exhibit significantly reduced roughness in the trenches, yet still present similar embedded contamination.
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