Thin Teflon-like films for eliminating adhesion in released polysilicon microstructures

This paper presents a method for depositing thin Teflon-like films using a commercial plasma reactor to eliminate adhesion or stiction in released polysilicon microstructures. A Lam 384T oxide etch system is used in a remote plasma mode with commercially available trifluoromethane (CHF₃) to deposit thin hydrophobic films around and under released microstructures. Hard, uniform, Teflon-like films which penetrate into undercuts beneath structures have been produced. Thus far, surfaces beneath gears as large as 1600 micron diameter with a gap of 2.0 microns are hydrophobic after being exposed to plasma treatment. These Teflon-like coatings have been shown to reduce the coefficient of friction from 1.0 to 0.07