Plasma etching of nanometer-scale self-assembled features

Abstract

With rapidly moving to deep nanometer regime, plasma etching is facing new challenges. Using variety of nanometer-scale self-assembled feature templates as masks, this paper is to try from experimental point of views to explore these new challenges, including (1) attempt to categorize the basic types of nanometer features, (2) discuss the possible true limits for plasma etching, and (3) characterize the main challenges facing by plasma etching in transferring nanometer-scale features The preferred requirements for a possibly needed new generation of plasma etching tools are also discussed.