Materials processing in nonequilibrium plasmas

Summary Form only given, as follows. Nonequilibrium plasmas (glow discharges) are extensively used in the fabrication of microelectronic devices because of their ability to create ions and radical species at low temperatures. Typically weakly ionized plasmas in the 1-1000-mtorr pressure range are used to deposit or selectively remove (etch) material. Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is used to deposit thin films from gases. Although many materials can be deposited thermally (in the absence of a plasma), PECVD can be advantageous in that lower substrate temperatures can be used, materials an be deposited which are thermally unstable, chemical pathways can be facilitated which avoid high kinetics barriers which block thermal processes, etc. Plasma etching uses the ions and radical to react with a thin film and produce volatile species, thereby etching the film where it is not masked. The plasma kinetics of glow discharges is presently being modeled using both continuum and particle approaches.<>