Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
Results will be presented using a new ultrahigh vacuum system designed to investigate the complex surface chemistries prevailing in plasma-assisted etching processes which use more than one halogen or halogen-hydrogen gas mixtures. In this new apparatus, two separate controllable beams of atoms can be directed onto a surface and energetic ion bombardment of the surface can be introduced. Neutral species evolved or reflected from the surface are monitored with modulated beam mass spectrometry. Etch rates as small as 10−3 Å/sec can be detected. The chemical systems which have been used are Si-F-Cl, Si-F-H and Si-CI-H and some unexpected phenomena observed with these systems will be described. Some catalytic reactions have also been observed with these gases in the presence of polycrystalline Ni and Pd surfaces and another example of an oscillatory surface reaction has been found.