The temperature dependence of the Si(100)/XeF2 etch reaction is studied quantitatively in a molecular beam setup. At a sample temperature of 150 K the reaction probability reaches unity initially, after which the XeF2 condenses on the surface and blocks the etching process. For increasing temperatures the XeF2 reaction probability initially decreases from 100% at 150 K down to 20% around 400 K, but for temperatures above 600 K it increases again up to 45% at 900 K. In a simple reaction scheme the high etch rate at low temperatures is explained by a XeF2‐precursor, with an activation energy for desorption of 32±4 meV. Furthermore the increased etch rate at high temperatures is explained by the desorption of SiF2 with an activation energy of 260±30 meV. The steady‐state fluorine content of the SiFx reaction layer, measured using thermal desorption spectroscopy, reaches a maximum of 5.5 monolayers at 300 K. For increasing temperatures it decreases to a submonolayer coverage above 700 K. The temperature dependence of the formation of the reaction layer is described well by including the XeF2‐precursor in a previously developed adsorption model.
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September 1996
Research Article|
September 01 1996
Si/XeF2 etching: Temperature dependence
M. J. M. Vugts;
M. J. M. Vugts
Physics Department, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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G. L. J. Verschueren;
G. L. J. Verschueren
Physics Department, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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M. F. A. Eurlings;
M. F. A. Eurlings
Physics Department, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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L. J. F. Hermans;
L. J. F. Hermans
Physics Department, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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H. C. W. Beijerinck
H. C. W. Beijerinck
Physics Department, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 14, 2766–2774 (1996)
Article history
Received:
July 07 1995
Accepted:
May 13 1996
Citation
M. J. M. Vugts, G. L. J. Verschueren, M. F. A. Eurlings, L. J. F. Hermans, H. C. W. Beijerinck; Si/XeF2 etching: Temperature dependence. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 1 September 1996; 14 (5): 2766–2774. https://doi.org/10.1116/1.580198
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