Abstract: Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) etching of the lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ferroelectric thin films produced via sol-gel process has been performed in SF₆ and the SF₆+Ar mixtures. The dependence of the etching rate on the total flow rate, gas mixing ratio and microwave power density has been systematically investigated. Experimental results show that the maxima of the etching rate is reached when the gas mixing ratio is about 20%. The surface component X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of PZT thin films indicate that the ECR etching process in SF₆ and the SF₆+Ar mxtures yield a great decrease in Pb content in the composition of PZT thin films, and that the etching of TiO₂ is the major factor in restricting the PZT thin films etching rate.

Key words: electron cyclotron resonance, plasma etching, lead zirconate titanate, sol-gel process