• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.7-12
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• 2023

The edge ring placed on the outside of the electrostatic chuck (ESC) is a key component for protecting the ESC and controlling the etching uniformity of the edge of the wafer. Therefore, it is very important to understand the etching phenomenon of edge rings for edge ring management and equipment homeostasis. In this study, a specimen with SiO₂ hard mask and underlying Si mold was installed on the edge ring surface and the etching results were measured by varying the edge ring 2MHz RF power. By developing PI-VM model with high prediction accuracy and analyzing the roles of key parameters in the model, we were able to evaluate the effect of plasma and sheath characteristics around the edge ring on edge ring erosion. This analysis method provided information necessary for edge ring maintenance and operation.