Low global warming C₅F₁₀O isomers for plasma atomic layer etching and reactive ion etching of SiO₂ and Si₃N₄

Plasma atomic layer etching (ALE) processes for SiO2 and Si3N4 and reactive ion etching (RIE) processes for SiO2 with hole patterns were developed using C4F8 and the low global warming potential gases of perfluoroisopropyl vinyl ether (PIPVE) and perfluoropropyl vinyl ether (PPVE). The ALE windows of SiO2 and Si3N4 were in the range of 50.0-57.5 V for all precursors. Etch per cycle of SiO2 was determined to be 5.5 & Aring;/cycle (C4F8), 3.3 & Aring;/cycle (PIPVE), and 5.4 & Aring;/cycle (PPVE), all lower than that of Si3N4. PPVE reduced global warming emissions by 49%, demonstrating better vertical etch profiles in RIE compared to C4F8.