Studies of cold plasmas applied in etching process of semiconductor material using computer simulation and experimental methods

• Grant number: 16/01576-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2016
• End date: September 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Physics of Fluids, Plasma Physics and Electrical Discharge
• Principal Investigator: Rodrigo Savio Pessoa
• Grantee: Bianca Veneziani Dias Fortino
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento (IP&D). Universidade do Vale do Paraíba (UNIVAP). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 11/50773-0 - Center of excellence in physics and applications of plasmas, AP.TEM

Abstract

In recent years, one of the main challenges of the electronics industry is to develop processing techniques able to the manufacture of microelectronic devices and MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) in semiconductor materials with thermal and chemical stability, to replace silicon devices (Si) in harsh environments, such as high temperatures and intense radiation, to supply the demand in the aeronautics and aerospace sectors. Among these semiconductor materials include: silicon carbide (SiC), DLC (Diamond like Carbon) and titanium oxide (TiO2). The stages of development of these devices are basically a set of lithographic processes followed by corrosion and metallizations. The main difficulty in the usage of SiC, DLC or TiO2 as base material for the fabrication of devices is the chemical inertness of these. This means it is difficult to obtain these materials by corrosion processes like plasma or chemical solution, where these structures constitute the devices. In this context, many academic and industrial research is being directed to the development of technologies that enable the optimization of the corrosion process of these materials for the fabrication of small devices as Silicon based and get satisfactory performance in harsh environments. Among these technologies, techniques like RIE (reactive ion etching) and ICP (inductively coupled plasma) have proven to be the most promising methods to corrosion of these materials. This work is intended to develop experimental and modeling studies of plasmas generated at RIE type reactor with the purpose of improving the use of this to corrosion of SiC material. The experimental diagnostic techniques to be used are: Langmuir probe and optical emission spectroscopy. The modeling of the plasma will be held at 0 and /or 2 dimensions using Fluid Theory. The idea is use the set of these techniques, investigating the physics and chemistry of the plasma generated in order to provide favorable conditions for realization of etching anisotropic material.