Plasma-etched samples exhibit deep in-diffusion. It was suggested here that a plasma-induced porosity was responsible for the diffusion of the etchant species in the substrate. It was found that in-diffusion occurred, regardless of the steric properties of the diffusing particles and of the plasma-ion energies. The results for F-plasma interaction with Si were considered at length.

P.Brault: Journal of Physics - Condensed Matter, 1991, 3[36], 7073-8