An efficient approach for atomic-scale polishing of single-crystal silicon via plasma-based atom-selective etching

Fang，Zhidong1; Zhang，Yi1,2; Li，Rulin1; Liang，Yanan1; Deng，Hui1

2020-12-15

10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2020.103649

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MACHINE TOOLS & MANUFACTURE   影响因子和分区

0890-6955

1879-2170

To realize the damage-free, highly efficient, and atomic-level polishing of single-crystal Si, plasma-based atom-selective etching (PASE) is proposed in this study as a generic polishing approach for Si wafers. The polishing effect of PASE is realized through the selective removal of Si atoms with more dangling bonds under high temperature. Plasma diagnostics are carried out to investigate the radical composition, the density of plasma, and the etching temperature. The key parameters of PASE are optimized, and the PASE of Si (100) with a material removal rate greater than 0.7 mu m/min was realized. A ground Si (100) surface can be quickly smoothed by PASE, with the Sa roughness being reduced from 195 nm to below 1.0 nm within 5 min, and the polished surface is proven to be crystallographically perfect. The PASE of (110)- and (111)-oriented Si wafers is also proven effective, demonstrating that PASE is a generic polishing approach for Si regardless of orientation. The entire surface flattening of a 2-inch Si wafer was carried out by numerically controlled PASE, and the wafer flatness was reduced from 37.29 mu m to 4.92 mu m through optimized scanning conditions. Overall, this study has shown that PASE is a promising approach for high-efficiency and high-quality polishing of Si.

Single crystal silicon Atomic-scale polishing Plasma etching Atomic and close-to-atomic scale manufacturing Roughness

SCI ; EI

英语

第一 ; 通讯

National Natural Science Foundation of China[52035009,52005243] ; Science and Technology Innovation Committee of Shenzhen Municipality, Shenzhen, China[GJHZ20180928155412525]

Engineering

Engineering, Manufacturing ; Engineering, Mechanical

WOS:000600554200006

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

20204509447733

Plasma diagnostics ; Single crystals ; Surface roughness ; Atoms ; Dangling bonds ; Semiconductor device manufacture ; Silicon wafers

Machining Operations:604.2 ; Semiconductor Devices and Integrated Circuits:714.2 ; Physical Chemistry:801.4 ; Physical Properties of Gases, Liquids and Solids:931.2 ; Atomic and Molecular Physics:931.3 ; Plasma Physics:932.3 ; Crystalline Solids:933.1

ENGINEERING

Web of Science

1.Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,No. 1088, Xueyuan Road,518055,China
2.Faculty of Science,University of East Anglia,Norwich,Norwich Research Park,NR4 7TJ,United Kingdom

Fang，Zhidong,Zhang，Yi,Li，Rulin,et al. An efficient approach for atomic-scale polishing of single-crystal silicon via plasma-based atom-selective etching[J]. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MACHINE TOOLS & MANUFACTURE,2020,159.

Fang，Zhidong,Zhang，Yi,Li，Rulin,Liang，Yanan,&Deng，Hui.(2020).An efficient approach for atomic-scale polishing of single-crystal silicon via plasma-based atom-selective etching.INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MACHINE TOOLS & MANUFACTURE,159.

Fang，Zhidong,et al."An efficient approach for atomic-scale polishing of single-crystal silicon via plasma-based atom-selective etching".INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MACHINE TOOLS & MANUFACTURE 159(2020).