Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
The slight etch and accompanying roughening of the silicon by the APM solution are of great concern as device geometrys and gate oxide thicknesses decrease. This report covers the variations in the SiO2 etch rate and surface roughening of an APM solution as a function of NH4OH and H2O2 concentration and temperature. In general, the etch rate and roughening increased with increasing temperature and NH4OH concentration but was unaffected by H2O2 concentration. Other portions of the larger APM study covering the addition and removal of metals and the removal of particles by APM are published elsewhere. Together, these studies provide a complete set of process response surfaces for the SC-1 chemistry. These surfaces can be used to select the most promising regime of parameter space for any particular process.