Etching characteristics and surface modification of InGaSnO thin films under Cl_(2)/Ar plasma

Indium gallium tin oxide(IGTO)thin films have the potential for high mobility and lowtemperature processing,which makes them suitable for applications such as display backplanes and high-voltage switching devices.However,very few studies have investigated the plasmaetching characteristics of IGTO and changes in its properties after etching.In this study,the etching characteristics of IGTO were investigated using Cl_(2)/Ar plasma,and changes in surface properties were analyzed.Results showed that the etch rate increased with an increase in the proportion of Cl_(2),with the highest etch rate observed at 69 nm min^(-1)in pure Cl_(2)plasma with a gas flow rate of 100 sccm.Furthermore,increased radio-frequency power caused a rise in the etch rate,while a process pressure of 15 m Torr was optimal.The primary etching mechanism for IGTO thin films under Cl_(2)plasma was a chemical reaction,and an increased work function indicated the occurrence of defects on the surface.In addition,the etching process reduced the surface roughness of Cl_(2)-containing plasma,whereas the etching process in pure Ar plasma increased surface roughness.This study contributes to a better understanding of the plasmaetching characteristics of IGTO and changes in its properties after etching,providing valuable insights for IGTO-based applications.

Surface properties of Al-doped ZnO thin film before and after CF_4/Ar plasma etching

Al-doped ZnO(AZO) is considered as an alternative to transparent conductive oxide materials.Patterning and achieving a stable surface are important challenges in the development and optimization of dry etching processes, which must be overcome for the application of AZO in various devices. Therefore, in this study, the etch rate and surface properties of an AZO thin film after plasma etching using the adaptive coupled plasma system were investigated. The fastest etch rate was achieved with a CF_(4)/Ar ratio of 50:50 sccm. Regardless of the ratio of CF_(4) to Ar,the transmittance of the film in the visible region exceeded 80%. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the AZO thin film confirmed that metal-F bonding persists on the surface after plasma etching. It was also shown that F eliminates O vacancies. Consequently, the work function and bandgap energy increased as the ratio of CF-4 increased. This study not only provides information on the effect of plasma on AZO thin film, but identifies the cause of changes in the device characteristics during device fabrication.