Five-step plasma-enhanced atomic layer etching of silicon nitride with a stable etched amount per cycle

Hirata, Akiko; Fukasawa, Masanaga; Tercero, Jomar U.; Kugimiya, K.; Hagimoto, Yoshiya; Karahashi, Kazuhiro; Hamaguchi, Satoshi; Iwamoto, Hayato

doi:10.35848/1347-4065/ac61f6

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 86 publications

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“…They are plasma-based processes that use reactive gas ions to selectively etch away the material from the surface of a substrate, as shown in Figure 1g-l. Hirata et al investigated the etch-stop mechanism in the SiN PEALE process, as shown in Figure 1g. [39] The MD simulations confirmed the presence of SI-C bonds. The etching precision of the SiN films was in the range of Ångström units.…”

Section: Plasma Technology-based Synthesis/etching Methods For 2d Mat...mentioning

confidence: 68%

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Plasma and Gas‐based Semiconductor Technologies for 2D Materials with Computational Simulation & Electronic Applications

Kim,

Kim

et al. 2024

Adv Elect Materials

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The technique of plasma processing is beneficial for wafer cleaning and precision etching of integrated circuits and essential in manufacture of advanced semiconductor devices with unmatched perfection. Research on two‐dimensional (2D) materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs), offers a promising solution to the challenges in semiconductor miniaturization. TMDs, with their atomic layer thicknesses and silicon‐like bandgaps, can be integrated using existing plasma systems. Different 2D crystal structures, such as 1T and 2H configurations, exhibit distinctive properties. Computational approaches are also developed to provide guidelines for controlled synthesis and etching of large‐scale and high‐quality 2D materials. Plasma/gas‐surface interactions during the synthesis, etching, and phase transformation of 2D materials are explored using atomistic simulations such as density functional theory and molecular dynamics. The reaction energetics, chemical species, and associated kinetics are discovered in the simulation study. These results decipher various mechanisms of 2D materials processing at the microscopic scale and predict certain optimal process parameters. Plasma/gas‐based semiconductor technologies are crucial in electronics because they enable production of advanced semiconductors. Plasma/gas etching allows precise and selective removal of material and plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition enhances chemical reactions for efficient film deposition; therefore, these processes are majorly important for harnessing 2D materials in electronic applications.

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Section: Plasma Technology-based Synthesis/etching Methods For 2d Mat...mentioning

confidence: 68%

“…investigated the etch‐stop mechanism in the SiN PEALE process, as shown in Figure 1g. [ 39 ] The MD simulations confirmed the presence of SI‐C bonds. The etching precision of the SiN films was in the range of Ångström units.…”

Section: Plasma Technology‐based Synthesis/etching Methods For 2d Mat...mentioning

confidence: 73%

Plasma and Gas‐based Semiconductor Technologies for 2D Materials with Computational Simulation & Electronic Applications

Kim,

Kim

et al. 2024

Adv Elect Materials

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“…Here HFC reactions with a SiN surface are considered to form volatile species such as SiF 4 , NH 3 , and HCN. Such reactions can be used to construct anisotropic PE-ALE of SiN by using HFC deposition in the first half-cycle and Ar plasma irradiation in the second half-cycle [127,[136][137][138][139][140]. If the incident ion energy is not sufficiently high, HFC polymers may accumulate after several ALE cycles and an etch stop may occur [138].…”

Section: Sin Alementioning

confidence: 99%

Foundations of atomic-level plasma processing in nanoelectronics

Arts

Hamaguchi²,

Ito³

et al. 2022

Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.

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This article discusses key elementary surface-reaction processes in state-of-the-art plasma etching and deposition relevant to the nanoelectronic device fabrication and presents a concise guide to the forefront of research on plasma-enhanced atomic layer etching (PE-ALE) and plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD). As the critical dimensions of semiconductor devices approach the atomic scale, atomic-level precision is required in plasma processing. The development of advanced plasma processes with such accuracy necessitates an in-depth understanding of the surface reaction mechanisms. With this in mind, we first review the basics of reactive ion etching (RIE) and high-aspect aspect-ratio (HAR) etching and we elaborate on the methods of PE-ALE and PE-ALD as surface-controlled processing, as opposed to the conventional flux-controlled processing such as RIE and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Second, we discuss the surface reaction mechanisms of PE-ALE and PE-ALD and the roles played by incident ions and radicals for in their reactions. More specifically, we discuss the role of transport of ions and radicals, including their surface reaction probabilities and ion-energy-dependent threshold effects in processing over HAR features such as deep holes and trenches.

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“…22,23) Therefore, O 2 plasma irradiation is employed to help minimize C accumulation on the surface. [24][25][26] The goal of this study is to clarify the surface reactions on the atomic scale during SiN PE-ALE processes with ions made of different inert gases, i.e. Ar, krypton (Kr), and xenon (Xe) under the otherwise same conditions, using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular dynamics simulations of silicon nitride atomic layer etching with Ar, Kr, and Xe ion irradiations

Tercero,

Isobe,

Karahashi

et al. 2024

Jpn. J. Appl. Phys.

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Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to understand the gas-surface interactions during silicon nitride (SiN) plasma-enhanced atomic layer etching (PE-ALE) processes with argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), and xenon (Xe) ion irradiations. Changes in the surface height, penetration depths of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) species, and damaged layer thickness were examined over five PE-ALE cycles. The results showed that the PE-ALE process with Ar+ ions etched the SiN surface more efficiently than those with Kr+ or Xe+ ions under the otherwise same conditions. Slower etching in the case of Kr+ or Xe+ ion irradiation is likely caused by the accumulation of HFC species. It was also observed that the damaged layer thicknesses of the etched surfaces are nearly the same among those with Ar+, Kr+, and Xe+ ion irradiations.

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Five-step plasma-enhanced atomic layer etching of silicon nitride with a stable etched amount per cycle

Cited by 8 publications

References 86 publications

Plasma and Gas‐based Semiconductor Technologies for 2D Materials with Computational Simulation & Electronic Applications

Plasma and Gas‐based Semiconductor Technologies for 2D Materials with Computational Simulation & Electronic Applications

Foundations of atomic-level plasma processing in nanoelectronics

Molecular dynamics simulations of silicon nitride atomic layer etching with Ar, Kr, and Xe ion irradiations

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