This study concerns the plasma etching of hybrid materials SiOC(H) which are new emergent compounds. Their adjustable properties between organic and inorganic compounds lead to great potentialities. This work is dedicated to two particular applications in microelectronic.In a first time, our study is focused on their applications in optical lithography within the framework of a European project (157 CRISPIES n° 2000 30-143) where new polymers containing one nanocompound, the POSS molecule are developed. These polymers could be used in a bilayer lithography process because they exhibit a low absorbance at the future wavelength, UV at 157 nm, or X at 13,5 nm. The surface structure before etching was particularly studied thanks to an advanced use of XPS measurements. This work shows the POSS molecule surface segregation. In order to characterize the plasma development phase of the bilayer process, these materials were etched in oxygen plasma. XPS and ellipsometric analysis point out the influence of the oxide layer formed on these surface. A correlation is performed between the oxide thickness of oxide measured by XPS and the polymer consumption measured by ellipsometry. These results led us to develop a kinetic model which allows to understand the etching mechanisms of these new compounds in oxygen plasma.In a second time, we studied the use of SiOC(H) matérials as interconnection dielectric. Indeed, these materials have a lower electric permittivity than silicon oxide classically used in microelectronic. They allow to improve the information transmission delays in the chips. Addition of O2, Ar, and H2 to fluorocarbon plasmas (C2F6) was studied in order to obtain a high etch rate, but also a significant selectivity with respect to the etch stop layer SiC(H). The hydrogen addition allows to increase the selectivity while keeping a good etch rate. The quasi in situ XPS surface analysis show the material composition modification over few nanometers, with the carbon concentration lower than in the bluk. Then, for C2F6/H2 and C2F6/Ar plasmas, a fluorocarbon layer is superimposed on this modified layer and its thickness is correlated to etching rates. Measurements of the ion flux and of the fluorine atomic concentration allow a better understanding of the etching mechanisms which govern these materials.
