Korean Chemical Engineering Research

The Korean Institute of Chemical Engineers (한국화학공학회)
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Etch Characteristics of CoTb and CoZrNb Thin Films by High Density Plasma Etching

고밀도 플라즈마 식각에 의한 CoTb과 CoZrNb 박막의 식각 특성

  • Shin, Byul (Department of Chemical Engineering, Inha University) ;
  • Park, Ik Hyun (Department of Chemical Engineering, Inha University) ;
  • Chung, Chee Won (Department of Chemical Engineering, Inha University)
  • 신별 (인하대학교 화학공학과) ;
  • 박익현 (인하대학교 화학공학과) ;
  • 정지원 (인하대학교 화학공학과)
  • Received : 2005.03.16
  • Accepted : 2005.06.14
  • Published : 2005.08.31
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Abstract

Inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching of CoTb and CoZrNb magnetic materials with the photoresist mask was performed using $Cl_2/Ar$ and $C_2F_6/Ar$ gas mixtures and characterized in terms of etch rate and etch profile. As the concentrations of $Cl_2$ and $C_2F_6$ gases increased, the etch rates of magnetic films decreased and the etch slopes became slanted. The $Cl_2/Ar$ gas was more effective in obtaining fast etch rate and steep sidewall slope than the $C_2F_6/Ar$ gas. As the coil rf power and dc bias increased, fast etch rate and steep etch slope were obtained but the redeposition on the sidewall was observed. This is due to the increase of ion and radical densities in plasma with increasing the coil rf power and the increase of incident ion energy to the substrate with increasing the dc bias voltage. By applying high density reactive ion etching to magnetic tunnel junction stack containing various magnetic films and metal oxide, steep etch slope and clean etch profile without redeposition were obtained.

포토리지스트 마스크로 패턴된 CoTb 및 CoZrNb 자성 박막에 대한 유도 결합 플라즈마 반응성 이온 식각이 $Cl_2/Ar$와 $C_2F_6/Ar$ 가스를 이용하여 진행되었고 식각 속도와 식각 프로파일 측면에서 조사되었다. $Cl_2$와 $C_2F_6$ 가스의 농도가 증가함에 따라서 자성 박막들의 식각 속도는 감소하였고 식각 경사는 낮아졌다. 자성 박막들의 식각 가스로서 $Cl_2/Ar$이 빠른 식각 속도와 가파른 식각 경사를 얻는데 있어서 $C_2F_6/Ar$ 보다 더 효과적이었다. Coil rf power의 증가는 플라즈마 내의 Ar 이온과 라디칼의 밀도를 증가시키고 dc bias voltage의 증가는 기판으로 스퍼터되는 Ar 이온의 에너지를 증가시키기 때문에 coil rf power와 dc bias voltage가 증가할수록 식각 속도와 식각 경사는 증가하였지만 패턴의 측면에서 재증착이 일어났다. 자성 박막들의 적층으로 형성된 magnetic tunnel junction stack에 고밀도 플라즈마 반응성 이온 식각을 적용하여, 높은 식각 경사와 재증착이 없는 깨끗한 식각 프로파일을 얻었다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Supported by : 인하대학교

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