Global Warming Gas Emission during Plasma Cleaning Process of Silicon Nitride Using C-C$_4$F$_8$O Feed Gas with Additive $N_2$

In this work, the cyclic perfluorinated ether (c-C$_4$F$_{8}$O) with very high destructive removal efficiency (DRE) than other alternative gases, such as $C_3$F$_{8}$, c-C$_4$F$_{8}$ and NF$_3$ was used as an alternative process chemical. The plasma cleaning of silicon nitride using gas mixtures of c-C$_4$F$_{8}$O/O$_2$ and c-C$_4$F$_{8}$O/O$_2$+ $N_2$ was investigated in order to evaluate the effects of adding $N_2$ to c-C$_4$F$_{8}$O/O$_2$ on the global warming effects. Under optimum condition, the emitted net perfluorocompounds (PFCs) during cleaning of silicon nitride were quantified and then the effects of additive $N_2$ by obtaining the destructive removal efficiency (DRE) and the million metric tons of carbon equivalent (MMT-CE) were calculated. DRE and MMTCE were obtained by evaluating the volumetric emission using. Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). During the cleaning using c-C$_4$F$_{8}$O/O$_2$+$N_2$, DRE values as high as (equation omitted) 98% were obtained and MMTCE values were reduced by as high as 70% compared to the case of $C_2$F$_{6}$O$_2$. Recombination characteristics were indirectly investigated by combining the measurements of species in the chamber using optical emission spectroscopy (OES), before and after the cleaning, in order to understand any correlation between plasma and emission characteristics as well as cleaning rate of silicon nitride.silicon nitride.