Detection of CF2 radicals in a plasma etching reactor by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy

Abstract

Laser‐induced fluorescence spectroscopy was used to detect ground‐state CF₂ radicals in 13.56‐MHz discharge plasmas sustained in C₂F₆ and CF₄ in a plasma etching reactor. Measurements of the relative CF₂(X̃) density in each plasma as a function of discharge power demonstrated that CF₂ densities were significantly higher in the C₂F₆ plasma. These results provide the first direct observation of CF₂(X̃) radicals in a plasma etching reactor.