The continuous downscaling in microelectronics imposes increasing demands on the plasma processes and traditional ways for process optimization reach their limits. New strategies are needed and innovations in the field of plasma processes are being developed: e.g. the use of pulsed plasmas. In this thesis, a pulsed HBr/O2 etch plasma is studied. Various in-situ diagnostics are used to characterize pulsed plasmas in an industrial 12” etch reactor. The silicon etching is investigated by XPS and electron microscopy. We show that the plasma dissociation and temperature are reduced if the plasma is pulsed at low duty cycles. The Br radical flux with respect to the on-time of the plasma is increased and the influence of the O radical is decreased, leading to enhanced time compensated silicon etch rates, a higher selectivity towards SiO2 and a more homogeneous etching. The pattern profiles can be controlled via the sidewall passivation layer formation that is closely linked to the duty cycle.
