Spectroscopic data and reaction kinetics of molecules important in the plasma and radiation-enhanced chemical processing of microelectronics materials are investigated in this research program. Intense light sources, such as synchrotron radiation, excimer laser, Nd-YAG laser, dye lasers, and condensed-discharge lamps, will be used to study the optical characteristics of halogen and metal compounds in detail. Optical emissions from excited photofragments will be dispersed and used to identify the emitting species. The resultant data will be used to develop new optical techniques to detect chemical species in etching and deposition reactors. Laser or VUV induced deposition of photofragments on surfaces will also be studied. Experimental observations will be compared with a collaborative modeling effort performed at another university. Optical emissions from laser excitation of molecules adsorbed on surfaces will also be investigated in this research program. The emissions will then be used to monitor molecules in situ on surfaces and applied to the study of chemical reactions on surfaces. This is a joint research program involving San Diego State University (SDSU), IBM and University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Dr. Suto and Dr. Lee at SDSU are specialists in quantitative spectroscopy and reaction kinetics. They have used various light sources to measure absolute photoexcitation cross sections for many molecules and radicals and to observe optical emissions from photoexcitation of molecules adsorbed on surfaces. Dr. Chuang at IBM, San Jose is a specialist in the area of laser-induced chemical etching of semiconductor materials and photon-surface-molecule interaction dynamics. He will provide guidance for the research project at SDSU so that the obtained data are useful for the understanding of plasma and radiation-enhanced processes in chemical processing of microelectronics materials. Dr. Middleman (UCSD) has made several modeling calculations of transport phenomena occurring in etching and deposition reactors and is working on a separate but related project. The expertise of these investigators is unique for successfully carrying out the research program.
