ATOMIC CHLORINE SOURCE FOR SEMICONDUCTOR ETCHING STUDIES

CLEAN SOURCES OF ATOMIC CHLORINE ARE REQUIRED FOR MECHANISTIC STUDIES OF SEMICONDUCTOR ETCHING PROCESSES. IN THIS PROPOSAL, AERODYNE RESEARCH, INC. DESCRIBES MODIFICATIONS TO AN EXISTING ULTRAHIGH VACUUM COMPATIBLE, EFFUSIVE BEAM, MICROWAVE DISCHARGE FLUORINE ATOM SOURCE WHICH WOULD ALLOW ITS USE AS A SOURCE OF CHLORINE ATOMS, AND THEY DEFINE MEASUREMENTS TO CHARACTERIZE AND DEMONSTRATE ITS OPERATION. THE MODIFICATIONS ARE AIMED PRIMARILY AT REDUCING HETEROGENEOUS RECOMBINATION OF CHLORINE ATOMS ON THE SOURCE WALLS. THE MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES INCLUDE MODULATED BEAM MASS SPECTROMETRY AND X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY.