Gas-phase chemistry in the processing of materials for the semiconductor industry

Abstract At the center of rapid changes in technological processes is the ability to fabricate new materials or to prepare known materials in forms or structures not possible previously. Nowhere is this more evident than in the semiconductor industry where the demand for components with pattern definitions below 1 pm together with the pressure to develop and improve the properties of optoelectronic components have stimulated research in a wide range of fields related to materials processing. Many of the methods that are employed currently involve chemical reactions at a gas-surface interface. This includes both the etching and deposition of material under carefully controlled conditions. In many cases, the chemical identity of the species that arrive at the surface is controlled by a complex sequence of gasphase reactions. The ability to understand and control these reactions is an important element for the improvement of existing technologies.