Inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching ͑ICP-RIE͒ of ZrO 2 :H solid electrolyte films was investigated using BCl 3 -based plasma. ZrO 2 :H etch rates were studied as a function of the BCl 3 /Ar chemistry, ICP coil power, bias voltage, and working pressure. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were employed to characterize the etch rate and root-mean-square surface roughness of etched samples. It was found that in comparison with Cl 2 -based gas mixtures, pure BCl 3

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... asma results in a high etch rate of ZrO 2 :H layer, suggesting an abundance of B and BCl radicals made up of a volatile compound such as B x O y , BCl-O, and Zr-Cl bond. In addition, Auger electron spectroscopy analysis exhibits that the BCl 3 -based etching process produces no change in surface stoichiometry of the ZrO 2 :H films.