Competition between Al2O3 atomic layer etching and AlF3 atomic layer deposition using sequential exposures of trimethylaluminum and hydrogen fluoride.

The thermal atomic layer etching (ALE) of Al2O3 can be performed using sequential and self-limiting reactions with trimethylaluminum (TMA) and hydrogen fluoride (HF) as the reactants. The atomic layer deposition (ALD) of AlF3 can also be accomplished using the same reactants. This paper examined the competition between Al2O3 ALE and AlF3 ALD using in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) vibrational spectroscopy measurements on Al2O3 ALD-coated SiO2 nanoparticles. The FTIR spectra could observe an absorbance loss of the Al-O stretching vibrations during Al2O3 ALE or an absorbance gain of the Al-F stretching vibrations during AlF3 ALD. The transition from AlF3 ALD to Al2O3 ALE occurred versus reaction temperature and was also influenced by the N2 or He background gas pressure. Higher temperatures and lower background gas pressures led to Al2O3 ALE. Lower temperatures and higher background gas pressures led to AlF3 ALD. The FTIR measurements also monitored AlCH3* and HF* species on the surface after the TMA and HF reactant exposures. The loss of AlCH3* and HF* species at higher temperatures is believed to play a vital role in the transition between AlF3 ALD at lower temperatures and Al2O3 ALE at higher temperatures. The change between AlF3 ALD and Al2O3 ALE was defined by the transition temperature. Higher transition temperatures were observed using larger N2 or He background gas pressures. This correlation was associated with variations in the N2 or He gas thermal conductivity versus pressure. The fluorination reaction during Al2O3 ALE is very exothermic and leads to temperature rises in the SiO2 nanoparticles. These temperature transients influence the Al2O3 etching. The higher N2 and He gas thermal conductivities are able to cool the SiO2 nanoparticles more efficiently and minimize the size of the temperature rises. The competition between Al2O3 ALE and AlF3 ALD using TMA and HF illustrates the interplay between etching and growth and the importance of substrate temperature. Background gas pressure also plays a key role in determining the transition temperature for nanoparticle substrates.