Analyses of Photo-induced Surface Reaction Processes during Plasma Sputtering

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The goal of this project is to clarify the role of photon injections (especially those of ultra violet : UV) into the material surface during reactive plasma sputtering. It has been empirically known that, in reactive plasma sputtering (i.e., reactive ion etching) processes, photon injections significantly affect sputtering properties, but detailed mechanisms of the photo-induced non-equilibrium surface chemical reactions have been hardly known. In the present project, we have analyzed surface reaction mechanisms of various etching processes to clarify how photon injections can affect etching properties, using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and a mass-selected ion beam injection system. Especially in this fiscal year, which is the final year of the present project, we have worked on the following topics : (1) Modeling of interatomic potential functions for excited atoms and interaction of photons and atoms in the material for MD simulations. (2) Examination of synergetic effects of ion beams and photon injections, based on the simultaneous injection experiments of a mono-energetic ion beam obtained from the mass selected ion beam injection system and light from a UV light source attached to the ion beam system. Through such research, we have evaluated effects of UV on reactive ion etching (i.e., plasma sputtering) and clarified various characteristics of surface reactions during reactive ion etching processes for materials widely used in the industry, such as silicon dioxide and some organic polymers.