Specific contact resistivity measurements have been performed on Ohmic contacts formed by etching in a CHF3/O2 reactive ion etching plasma, to determine the extent to which this process affects contact resistance. Contacts between n+ (Ns≊1020 cm−3) silicon and Ti were used. The low intrinsic specific contact resistivity of this system assures that the experimentally measured resistivity will depend on the contact etch process. Also, deep junction depths (xj≊1.0 μm) were used to minimize the sensitivity of the measurements to possible changes in sheet resistance due to overetching. The resistivity data, which was extracted via a two-dimensional analytical technique, show a strong dependence on the use of a postetch NF3/Ar clean-up plasma, as well as on a forming-gas anneal. However, it also shows little dependence on the amount of O2 flowing in the plasma. Resistivity measurements range from (9±5)×10−9 up to (2.4±0.6)×10−5 Ω cm2, depending on whether the contacts received a NF3 clean-up treatment and a forming-gas anneal. Surface analysis (x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) of the Si surface shows a layer of fluorocarbon polymer, and a layer of silicon containing atomic F, C, and O.