Mechanisms of High PSG/SiO2 Selective Etching in a Highly Polymerized Fluorocarbon Plasma

Abstract
We have investigated high selective etching mechanisms of phosphosilicate glass (PSG) over SiO2 in a highly polymerized fluorocarbon plasma, by studying the Ar+ induced reactions between the adsorption layer and the underlying substrates with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Both of SiO2 and PSG were found to react in a very near surface region, chiefly with the adsorption layer, by reflecting the reactivity in SiO x F y reaction layer below the surface. The mechanisms of the reactivity variance were explained by the difference in density of active sites for unsaturated CF x chemisorption induced by ion bombardment, and the difference of Si-O bond breakability of the underlying substrates. These effects are caused by the existence of P-O or P=O bonds in PSG.