Vitrification Range and Plasma Resistance of Bismuth Aluminosilicate Glass

Reducing contaminant particles in the semiconductor etching process has been an important issue for improving the yields of semiconductor production. Recently, the plasma resistance glass (PRG) proposed as a new material to replace the plasma resistant material made of crystalline ceramics. Etching rate of PRG was lower than that of quartz glass, alumina, and sapphire. There is almost no change in the microstructure even after etching, so it is expected to be a suitable material for reducing particulate contaminants. Components to be aware of in the semiconductor process include alkali metals, heavy metals, etc. It can cause a defect of internal voltage on the oxide film, reduced lifetime, and crystal defects. Research has shown that the etching rate was an index of plasma resistance. It depends on the boiling temperature of the fluoride compound formed by a chemical reaction of plasma fluorine radicals. Bismuth was the component remaining after excluding the components to be avoided in the semiconductor process, and at the same time, the boiling temperature of BiF₃ is 900°C. It was expected to contribute to the reduction of the etch rate. However, since bismuth aluminosilicate glass was not well known, information about the clear vitrification range and properties of glasses were lacking. In this study was to investigate the vitrification range of Bi-Al-Si-O, which has not been studied, and to evaluate the plasma resistance. So we intend to investigate the vitrification range, thermal, physical properties, and plasma resistance of the ternary phase diagram.