EUROPEAN SYMPOSIUM ON MARTENSITIC TRANSFORMATION AND SHAPE MEMORY PROPERTIES

J. Phys. IV France 07 (1997) C4-295-C4-305
DOI: 10.1051/jp4:1997424

High-Frequency Magnetoplasmas in Electronegative Gases

J. Margot¹, M. Chaker², L. St-Onge³, M. Tabbal², A. Aliouchouche², O. Pauna⁴, C. Alinot² and C. Kliagine<sup>1

1</sup>  Groupe de Physique des Plasmas, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre Ville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3J7, Canada
²  INRS-Énergie et Matériaux , 1650 boulevard Lionel Boulet, Varennes, Québec, J3X 1S2, Canada
³  Institut des Matériaux Industriels, National Research Council, 75 boulevard de Mortagne, Boucherville, Québec, J4B 6Y4, Canada
⁴  Université de Montréal and CPAT, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France

Abstract
Discharges in electronegative gases are routinely used for the sub-micron etching of thin films in the microelectronics industry. Because of the strong electronegative character of these gases, negative ions constitute a signifiant fraction of the charged particles content of the discharge. The presence of these negative charge carriers affects the whole behavior of the discharge and, in particular, its electron power balance. This article compares a few characteristics of a high-density plasma produced either in SF₆ or in Cl₂ with those of an argon plasma under similar experimental conditions. We show that the plasma presents characteristics when the gas is electronegative that significantly differ from those observed in argon.

© EDP Sciences 1997