Low global warming C5F10O isomers for plasma atomic layer etching and reactive ion etching of SiO2 and Si3N4

Abstract Plasma atomic layer etching (ALE) processes for SiO 2 and Si 3 N 4 and reactive ion etching (RIE) processes for SiO 2 with hole patterns were developed using C 4 F 8 and the low global warming potential gases of perfluoroisopropyl vinyl ether (PIPVE) and perfluoropropyl vinyl ether (PPVE). The ALE windows of SiO 2 and Si 3 N 4 were in the range of 50.0–57.5 V for all precursors. Etch per cycle of SiO 2 was determined to be 5.5 Å/cycle (C 4 F 8 ), 3.3 Å/cycle (PIPVE), and 5.4 Å/cycle (PPVE), all lower than that of Si 3 N 4 . PPVE reduced global warming emissions by 49%, demonstrating better vertical etch profiles in RIE compared to C 4 F 8 .