The Etching Reaction and Surface Reconstruction of Bismuth Zinc Niobate Thin Film in SF6/Ar Plasma

Abstract:

Reactive ion etching (RIE) of bismuth zinc niobate (BZN) thin films using an SF6/Ar plasma has been studied. An optimum process parameters was obtained according to the highest etch rate of 90nm/min. Under this etching condition, the crystal structural properties and surface morphology of the BZN film before and after etching were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), the film showed a surface reconstruction after etching, a cubic pyrochlore structure orientation transition was observed from preferential (222) to (400), and ZnF2 phases were detected. The film surface was chemically analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to investigate the reactive ion etching mechanism. A zinc-rich surface was formed because low-volatile ZnF₂ residues were difficult to remove.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 763)
• Pages: 28-32
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.763.28
• Online since: September 2013
• Authors: Shu Ya Wang, Yun Ying Fu, Li Ping Dai, Guo Jun Zhang
• Keywords: Ar Ion Bombardment, Bismuth-Zinc-Niobate, Reactive Ion Etching

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