Multiscale Modeling of Low Pressure Plasma Etching Processes: Linking the Operating Parameters of the Plasma Reactor with Surface Roughness Evolution

Mouchtouris, Sotiris; Kokkoris, George

doi:10.1002/ppap.201600147

Cited by 17 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 88 publications

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“…Besides this, A depends on the target material and is inversely proportional to the surface binding energy. The value of A is taken as 0.1/(ion eV 0.5 ) . f ( θ ) denotes the coefficient of incidence angle of an ion with respect to the normal to the surface.…”

Section: Modeling Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Relationship between edge roughness in mask pattern and charging in plasma etching

Zhang

2019

Plasma Processes & Polymers

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The edge roughness (ER) developed in the mask pattern during the plasma etching process harms the perfect pattern transformation from mask to substrate. To understand and ultimately manipulate plasma-induced ER, this study investigated the interplay between charging and nanoscale roughness of an isolated rough mask hole in the plasma etching process using a modeling framework, which consisted of a surface etching module, a surface charging module, and a profile evolution module. Specifically, on the one hand, the distributions of the spatial electric field (E-field) and etching rate were simulated for the rough mask surface being etched. It is revealed that the distribution of the etching rate is similar with that of E-field clinging to the mask surface, and both of them reach their maximum strength around the mask hole edge and gradually becomes uniform/nonuniform with the decrease of the value of the dominant amplitude/wavelength of roughness; on the other hand, a string algorithm was used to simulate the evolution rule for a rough profile of a mask hole with etching time under various values of roughness parameters. The simulated evolution of the profile has good agreement with experimental observation. The charging effect contributes to the enhancement of the root mean square roughness. Additionally, the influence of roughness parameters on the charging time versus root mean square was also examined. The mechanism behind these results was analyzed systematically. This study will greatly contribute toward improving the physical and chemical properties of the mask or optimizing the etching technique.K E Y W O R D S charging, particle simulation, plasma etching, roughness

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Section: Modeling Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The expression of f ( θ ) can be found in detail in references . The value of the parameters in f ( θ ) are the same as those used in reference . As the detailed history of Equation can be found in reference , only a brief introduction is given here.…”

Section: Modeling Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between edge roughness in mask pattern and charging in plasma etching

Zhang

2019

Plasma Processes & Polymers

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“…We have recently developed a modeling framework [ 24 ] for the evolution of rough polymeric surfaces under plasma consisting of a surface charging module [ 25 ], a surface etching model [ 26 ], and a profile evolution module [ 27 ]. It was applied to the investigation of the interaction between surface charging and microscale surface roughness of polymeric substrates [ 24 ]: tracking the evolution of an originally sinusoidal (rough) profile during plasma etching, it was revealed, on the one hand, that the surface charging assisted to the suppression of root mean square ( rms ) roughness and, on the other hand, that the lessening of the surface roughness caused a decrease of the charging potential.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Roughness Evolution and Charging in Plasma-Based Surface Engineering of Polymeric Substrates: The Effects of Ion Reflection and Secondary Electron Emission

2018

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The interaction of plasma with polymeric substrates generates both roughness and charging on the surface of the substrates. This work, toward the comprehension and, finally, the control of plasma-induced surface roughness, delves into the intertwined effects of surface charging, ion reflection, and secondary electron-electron emission (SEEE) on roughness evolution during plasma etching of polymeric substrates. For this purpose, a modeling framework consisting of a surface charging module, a surface etching model, and a profile evolution module is utilized. The case study is etching of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) substrate by argon plasma. Starting from an initial surface profile with microscale roughness, the results show that the surface charging contributes to a faster elimination of the roughness compared to the case without charging, especially when ion reflection is taken into account. Ion reflection sustains roughness; without ion reflection, roughness is eliminated. Either with or without ion reflection, the effect of SEEE on the evolution of the rms roughness over etching time is marginal. The mutual interaction of the roughness and the charging potential is revealed through the correlation of the charging potential with a parameter combining rms roughness and skewness of the surface profile. A practical implication of the current study is that the elimination or the reduction of surface charging will result in greater surface roughness of polymeric, and generally dielectric, substrates.

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“…Now, the feasibility of the finite element fluid method for the simulations of RIT and ICP discharge has been validated [4]. And the research of ICP discharge with COMSOL Multiphysics® software has gradually come to the mainstream [4,6,7]. However, the present numerical models of RIT are chiefly used to the analysis of the specific ICP discharge and only pay attention to the main collision dynamic processes of the particles [17,18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical research of a 2D axial symmetry hybrid model for the radio-frequency ion thruster

Wu¹,

Sun²,

Zuo³

et al. 2018

Plasma Sci. Technol.

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Since the high efficiency discharge is critical to the radio-frequency ion thruster (RIT), a 2D axial symmetry hybrid model has been developed to study the plasma evolution of RIT. The fluid method and the drift energy correction of the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) are applied to the analysis of the RIT discharge. In the meantime, the PIC-MCC method is used to investigate the ion beam current extraction character for the plasma plume region. The beam current simulation results, with the hybrid model, agree well with the experimental results, and the error is lower than 11%, which shows the validity of the model. The further study shows there is an optimal ratio for the radio-frequency (RF) power and the beam current extraction power under the fixed RIT configuration. And the beam extraction efficiency will decrease when the discharge efficiency beyond a certain threshold (about 87 W). As the input parameters of the hybrid model are all the design values, it can be directly used to the optimum design for other kinds of RITs and radio-frequency ion sources.

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Multiscale Modeling of Low Pressure Plasma Etching Processes: Linking the Operating Parameters of the Plasma Reactor with Surface Roughness Evolution

Cited by 17 publications

References 88 publications

Relationship between edge roughness in mask pattern and charging in plasma etching

Relationship between edge roughness in mask pattern and charging in plasma etching

Roughness Evolution and Charging in Plasma-Based Surface Engineering of Polymeric Substrates: The Effects of Ion Reflection and Secondary Electron Emission

Numerical research of a 2D axial symmetry hybrid model for the radio-frequency ion thruster

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