| abstract |
A process for etching aluminum wherein a masked layer of aluminum, supported on a substrate, is exposed to a plasma formed by imposing an RF voltage across at least two spaced electrodes in an ambient including a gas selected from the group consisting of CCl 4 , Cl 2 , Br 2 , HCl. The resultant conditions provide a reactive environment where the aluminum is bombarded with chlorine or bromine ions. The aluminum reacts with chlorine or bromine ions to form an aluminum chloride or bromide compound, which is volatile at the temperature of the sputtered substrate. |