Germanium etching systems and methods

A method of etching a germanium-containing material, the method comprising:

• flowing plasma effluents of a precursor through a chamber component comprising a catalytic material;
• catalytically converting at least a portion of radicals in the plasma effluents by the catalytic material;
• delivering the plasma effluents to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein a substrate comprising a germanium-containing material is housed in the processing region;
• and
• etching the germanium-containing material.

A method of etching a germanium-containing material, the method comprising:

• flowing plasma effluents of a precursor through apertures defined in a processing system component, wherein the apertures are coated with a catalytic material, and wherein the processing system component is maintained at a temperature between about 70° C. and about 150° C.;
• reducing a concentration of radicals in the plasma effluents with the catalytic material;
• delivering the plasma effluents to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein a substrate comprising a germanium-containing material is housed in the processing region, and wherein the substrate is maintained at a temperature below about 30° C.;
• and
• etching the germanium-containing material.