Learn about fundamental and advanced topics in etching with this practical guide

Atomic Layer Processing: Semiconductor Dry Etching Technology delivers a hands-on, one-stop resource for understanding etching technologies and their applications. The distinguished scientist, executive, and author offers readers in-depth information on the various etching technologies used in the semiconductor industry, including thermal, isotropic atomic layer, radical, ion-assisted, and reactive ion etching.

The book begins with a brief history of etching technology and the role it has played in the information technology revolution, along with a collection of commonly used terminology in the industry. It then moves on to discuss a variety of different etching techniques, before concluding with discussions of the fundamentals of etching reactor design and newly emerging topics in the field such as the role played by artificial intelligence in the technology.

Atomic Layer Processing includes a wide variety of other topics as well, all of which contribute to the author's goal of providing the reader with an atomic-level understanding of dry etching technology sufficient to develop specific solutions for existing and emerging semiconductor technologies. Readers will benefit from:

A complete discussion of the fundamentals of how to remove atoms from various surfacesAn examination of emerging etching technologies, including laser and electron beam assisted etchingA treatment of process control in etching technology and the role played by artificial intelligenceAnalyses of a wide variety of etching methods, including thermal or vapor etching, isotropic atomic layer etching, radical etching, directional atomic layer etching, and more

Perfect for materials scientists, semiconductor physicists, and surface chemists,Atomic Layer Processing will also earn a place in the libraries of engineering scientists in industry and academia, as well as anyone involved with the manufacture of semiconductor technology. The author's close involvement with corporate research& development and academic research allows the book to offer a uniquely multifaceted approach to the subject.

Thorsten Lill, PhD, is Vice President of Emerging Etch Technologies and Systems at Lam Research. He received his doctorate in Physics from the Albert Ludwigs University in Freiburg, Germany and researched as a post doc at the Argonne National Laboratory. He has published 88 articles in the field and holds 89 patents.

List of Abbreviations ix

1 Introduction 1

References 4

2 Fundamentals 7

2.1 Important Performance Metrics of Etching Processes 7

2.2 Physisorption and Chemisorption 11

2.3 Desorption 13

2.4 Surface Reactions 14

2.5 Sputtering 15

2.6 Implantation 21

2.7 Diffusion 22

2.8 Transport Phenomena in 3D Features 26

2.9 Classification of Etching Technologies 35

3 Thermal Etching 43

3.1 Mechanism and Performance Metrics of Thermal Etching 43

3.2 Applications Examples 45

4 Thermal Isotropic ALE 51

4.1 Mechanism of Thermal Isotropic ALE 51

4.2 Performance Metrics 62

4.3 Plasma-Assisted Thermal Isotropic ALE 74

4.4 Applications Examples 75

5 Radical Etching 85

5.1 Mechanism of Radical Etching 85

5.2 Performance Metrics 86

5.3 Applications Examples 88

6 Directional ALE 91

6.1 Mechanism of Directional ALE 91

6.2 Performance Metrics 110

6.3 Applications Examples 123

7 Reactive Ion Etching 133

7.1 Reactive Ion Etching Mechanisms 133

7.2 Performance Metrics 144

7.3 Applications Examples 173

8 Ion Beam Etching 225

8.1 Mechanism and Performance Metrics of Ion Beam Etching 225

8.2 Applications Examples 226

9 Etching Species Generation 231

9.1 Introduction of Low-Temperature Plasmas 231

9.2 Capacitively Coupled Plasmas 237

9.3 Inductively Coupled Plasmas 252

9.4 Ion Energy Distribution Modulation 256

9.5 Plasma Pulsing 259

9.6 Grid Sources 263

10 Emerging Etching Technologies 271

10.1 Electron-Assisted Chemical Etching 271

10.2 Photon-Assisted Chemical Etching 273

References 275

Index 277