Holographic Pattern Etching of Silicon—Carbide by Excimer Laser

ABSTRACTThe diffraction grating on SiC mirror was performed by a laser holographic method. In the present method, KrF laser and CIF3 was used for etchant gas. The ClF3 gas has an absorption band in the range between 200 and 400 nm. Therefore, CIF3 gas is effectively decomposed by the XeF, KrF and ArF excimer lasers' radiation. It is found that absorption of Si—C is about 50% in the range of between200 and 400 nm, and that the bonding energy of Si—C is lower than the photon energy of KrF laser beam. The above results indicate the direct decomposition of Si—Cbond. On the other hand, the threshold fluence energy for etching was 800 mJ/cm2 in 249 nm and in 193 nm as high as 7 J/cm2. In these results, the KrF laser is more effective than ArF laser. Then we applied KrF laser to crystalline SiC in an atmosphere of C1F3 gas. The divided two polarized KrF laser beams were interfered on the substrate. And the beams were used to photodissociated CIF3 gas in the proximity of substrate. Fluence of KrF laser beam was 1 J/cm2. The incidential angle of KrF laser beams was 20º and the grating gaps were 7170 Å, etching depth 1000 Å, and etching rate was 5 Å/pulse.