Fluorine-silicon reactions and the etching of crystalline silicon

The interaction between fluorine atoms and crystalline silicon, which is essential for etching processes in semiconductor device fabrication, is investigated with state-of-the-art theoretical techniques. A comprehensive picture of F reactions with the Si surface, the bulk, and the near-surface region is obtained, in terms of which the etching process is elucidated. (author) 7 refs., 1 fig