Etch Mechanism and Temperature Regimes of an Atmospheric Pressure Chlorine-Based Plasma Jet Process

Reactive atmospheric plasma jets containing halogenous compounds are employed as locally acting tools for surface figure shaping or surface modification in ultra-precision surface machining technologies. In the current study, the interaction between an atmospheric CCl4/O-2 containing plasma jet with silicon surface is investigated aiming at elucidating the chemical kinetics of surface reactions. Different process regimes are identified comprising material removal as well as polymeric and oxide layer formation, which depend on the ratio of the reactive components and substrate surface temperature. XPS and SEM measurements support the findings.