Comparison of Erosion Behavior and Particle Contamination in Mass-Production CF(4)/O(2) Plasma Chambers Using Y(2)O(3) and YF(3) Protective Coatings

Yttrium fluoride (YF(3)) and yttrium oxide (Y(2)O(3)) protective coatings prepared using an atmospheric plasma spraying technique were used to investigate the relationship between surface erosion behaviors and their nanoparticle generation under high-density plasma (10(12)–10(13) cm(−3)) etching. As examined by transmission electron microscopy, the Y(2)O(3) and YF(3) coatings become oxyfluorinated after exposure to the plasma, wherein the yttrium oxyfluoride film formation was observed on the surface with a thickness of 5.2 and 6.8 nm, respectively. The difference in the oxyfluorination of Y(2)O(3) and YF(3) coatings could be attributed to Y–F and Y–O bonding energies. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses revealed that a strongly fluorinated bonding (Y–F bond) was obtained on the etched surface of the YF(3) coating. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the nanoparticles on the 12-inch wafer are composed of etchant gases and Y(2)O(3). These results indicate that the YF(3) coating is a more erosion-resistant material, resulting in fewer contamination particles compared with the Y(2)O(3) coating.