Single-Crystal Silicon Etching Characteristics Using Excimer Laser Cℓ2 GAS
ABSTRACTSingle-crystal Si etching characteristics using an excimer laser (308 nm, XeCℓ) in the Cℓ2 gas have been studied. In lightly doped n-type and p-type Si, the etch rate of (100) is higher than that of (111), thus the (111) sidewall appears clearly for the irradiation to (100), while both orientations show almost the same etch rates in n+-doped Si. The n-type Si is etched spontaneously even by photo-dissociated Cℓ radicals generated in the gas phase, but no p-type Si etching occurs without direct irradiation. In addition, both types of etch rate-dependence on sheet resistance demonstrate that the number of electrons in the conduction band plays an essential role in the Si etching. This fact supports the field-assisted mechanism in the plasma etching proposed by Winters.