Etching effects to PZT capacitors with RuO_x/Pt electrode by using inductively coupled plasma

Abstract

The etching damage was studied on lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin film capacitors with RuOx/Pt multi-layered electrodes. PZT films were deposited on RuOx/Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si substrates by spin coating with the sol-gel solution and etched by an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etcher. Etching damage was systematically investigated by varying etching parameters such as coil RF power, DC bias to wafer susceptor, and chamber pressure. Quantitative analysis of etching damage was made in terms of the degree of the coercive field shift (E_shift ) in hysteresis loops. In this study, the optimization of etching process for PZT films was attempted to minimize the etching damage to the ferroelectric capacitors.