Title

In Situ Growth Rate Measurements for Plasma Processing of Opaque Materials

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-15-2002

Abstract

The accurate measurement of growth and etch rates during plasma processing is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve for opaque, three-dimensional substrates. Sensing small weight changes that correspond to discontinuous film formation on a substrate is also difficult with traditional optical methods. Using a gravimetric recording microbalance, we have successfully measured small weight changes of aluminum samples during the pre-cleaning and nitriding stages in low temperature plasma. The data will show that the microbalance can provide useful information about the rates of various processes within a plasma. The data can be interpreted using reaction–diffusion equations to determine the relevant rate parameters for a plasma process. This approach can be extended to the study of many materials including oxides, metals, and nitrides subjected to various processes including etching and deposition.

Publication Title

Thin Solid Films

Volume

418

Issue

2

First Page

151

Last Page

155

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