Method of plasma etching transition metal oxides
View Patent ↗A method of plasma etching transition metal oxide thin films using carbon monoxide as the primary source gas. This permits carbonyl chemistries to be used at ambient temperature, without heating.
1. A method of etching, comprising carbon monoxide-based plasma etching of a transition metal oxide at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius or less, wherein said plasma etching is performed using a source gas which consists essentially of carbon monoxide.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said transition metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of: nickel oxide, iron oxide, and cobalt oxide.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said plasma etching is performed using an applied magnetic field.
4. A method of etching, comprising carbon monoxide-based plasma etching of a transition metal oxide at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius or less, wherein said plasma etching is performed using a source gas which consists only of carbon monoxide plus an inert diluent.
5. A method of forming a memory cell, the method comprising:
plasma etching a cooled thin film of a transition metal oxide using a carbon monoxide-based source gas at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius or less, wherein said source gas which consists essentially of carbon monoxide.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said transition metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of: nickel oxide, iron oxide, and cobalt oxide.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein said plasma etching is performed using an applied magnetic field.
8. A method of forming a memory cell, the method comprising:
plasma etching a cooled thin film of a transition metal oxide using a carbon monoxide-based source gas at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius or less, wherein said source gas which consists only of carbon monoxide plus an inert diluent.
9. A method of etching a thin film of nickel oxide, comprising:
flowing a source gas which consists essentially of carbon monoxide;
generating a glow discharge in proximity to the thin film, to thereby induce plasma bombardment;
cooling said thin film to 60 degrees Celsius or less; and
exhausting gases.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said thin film of nickel oxide is stacked with at least one conducting material.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said nickel oxide layer is stacked with at least one insulating material.