The dictates of miniaturization and increased performance followed by microelectronics manufacturers faces currently physical, technological and economic limitations. An innovative alternative to these problems is the three-dimensional integration of integrated circuits. This technology involves the vertical stacking of different levels of functionality on the various circuits, and thus opens the way for multifunctional or heterogeneous systems, with electrical performance that are much better than those existing in the two-dimensional circuits. The stacking of these chips is achievable through crossing vias named TSV for "Through Silicon Via", which are obtained by the succession of different technological steps,. One of these steps is the realization by plasma etching of deep silicon microcavities. Currently two plasma etch processes are mainly used for the design of TSV or other silicon structures, the Bosch Process and the Cryogenic process, in both cases with different advantages and disadvantages. The purpose of this thesis is to develop an innovative and alternative plasma etching method comparing to those currently used, to minimize their disadvantages (sidewall roughness, lack of profiles control, low temperature ...). In this logic two deep etch processes have been considered, exploiting SF6/O2/HBr and SF6/O2/HBr/SiF4 etching chemistries. All the studies focuses at better understanding of the mechanisms of etching and passivation of high aspect ratio cavities, especially through exploitation of XPS surface analysis
