Laser-induced chemical etching of (100) Si in C1₂ atmosphere has been investigatEd using a combined laser-beam irradiation scheme. 308 nm XeC1 excimer laser radiation at parallel incidence has been used to exclusively generate Cl atoms in the gas phase abovE the Si surface. Additionally, 647.1 nm Kr+ laser radiation at perpendicular incidence has been used to exclusively generate photocarriers within the Si surface. The Cl atom concertration was determined - independently - from both the observed chemiluminescence following the Cl-Cl atom recombination, and from numerical calculations. The etch rate W observed or the Si surface was found to be directly proportional to the Cl atom concentration in,tpe gas phase, and it increases sublinearly with the Kr⁺ laser power P according to W ≈ P^0.7. The microscopic mechanisms of photo-enhanced etching are discussed.

Date Published: 18 May 1989
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 1033, Trends in Quantum Electronics, (18 May 1989); doi: 10.1117/12.950624

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1033:
Trends in Quantum Electronics
Ioan Ursu, Editor(s)