Real‐Time Endpoint Detection of Small Exposed Area SiO2 Films in Plasma Etching Using Plasma Impedance Monitoring with Modified Principal Component Analysis. Issue 10 (15th July 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jang, Haegyu; Nam, Jaewook; Kim, Chang‐Koo; Chae, Heeyeop
• Is Part Of: Plasma processes and polymers. Volume 10:Issue 10(2013:Oct.)
• Page Start: 850
• Page End: 856
• Publication Date: 2013-07-15
• Subjects: Plasma polymerization -- Periodicals; Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition -- Periodicals; Plasma chemistry -- Periodicals
• DOI: 10.1002/ppap.201300030
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1612-8850

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="ppap201300030-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p>Endpoint detection (EPD) with plasma impedance monitoring (PIM) is demonstrated for small area SiO₂ RF plasma etching. The endpoint is determined by the impedance harmonic signals variation from the <italic>I</italic>–<italic>V</italic> monitoring system. Moreover, modified principal component analysis (mPCA) is applied to enhance the sensitivity for real‐time small area SiO₂ etching. For verification, the detected endpoint by PIM is compared with optical emission spectroscopy (OES) signals. The results indicate that PIM shows better sensitivity than OES, and the sensitivity of EPD is enhanced by a factor of 2.03 with the mPCA algorithm. EPD of 0.5% SiO₂ area etching is successfully demonstrated with PIM and mPCA. This technique can be applied to plasma etching processes as a sensitive process monitoring tool.<inline-graphic xlink:href="ark:/27927/pgg3jz84p8z" content-type="ppap201300030-gra-0001" xlink:type="simple" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" /></p> </sec> </abstract>