HF Vapor Etch: Difference between revisions

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{{tool|{{PAGENAME}}
{{tool|{{PAGENAME}}
|picture=VHF-uETCH.jpg
|picture=IMG_2416_1.jpg
|type = Dry Etch
|type = Dry Etch
|super= Mike Silva
|super= Mike Silva
|phone=(805)839-3918x216
|phone=(805)839-3918x219
|location=Bay 2
|location=Bay 2
|email=silva@ece.ucsb.edu
|email=silva@ece.ucsb.edu
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}}
}}
= About =
= About =
The applications of this tool are mainly in MEMS-device fabrication areas (releasing a MEMS structure by etching a sacrificial layer below), in which Si or Ge or even some metals, such as Mo, can be isotropically dry etched using gaseous XeF<sub>2</sub> (no plasma enhancement or heating is needed) with the use of photoresist or SiO<sub>2</sub> or Al as an etch mask at room temperature. For users who want to etch through or very deep into a Si wafer, they should use the Si Deep RIE tool in the lab. The XeF<sub>2</sub> etch process is a purely chemical one and usually results in a rough etched surface. The tool is operated in a pulsed mode in which the etch chamber is repeatedly filled with XeF<sub>2</sub> gas and, then, pumped out (to 0.3 Torr). You can also add N<sub>2</sub> gas, together with XeF<sub>2</sub> gas, into the etch chamber for some applications. There is a microscope attached to this tool, with which you can monitor the etch process of your sample. You can change the number of etch cycles during a run, which will be effective in that run. Also, you can manually stop a run based on microscope observations.
The applications of this tool are mainly in MEMS-device fabrication areas (releasing a MEMS structure by etching a sacrificial SiO<sub>2</sub> layer below) with the use of Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, Al or some other metal as an etch mask at 45<sup>o</sup>C. The tool uses vapor HF (VHF), EtOH (Ethanol vapor is an Alcohol-based one, ionizing the HF and activating etching, influencing within wafer etch uniformity, and being most compatible with VHF), and N<sub>2</sub> gases and can process small sample(s) (on a 8<sup>"</sup> Si carrier wafer) up to an 8<sup>"</sup> wafer. There are 5 standard etch recipes installed in the tool with the SiO<sub>2</sub> etch rate from low to high. The SiO<sub>2</sub> under etch rate is from ~10nm/min to ~350nm/min.


=Documentation=
=Documentation=
*[[media:Xactic-XetchX3-System-Manual.pdf|System Manual]]
*[[media:SPTS-Primaxx_uEtch_Presentation-a.pdf|System Manual]]
*[[media:XeF2-Results.pdf|Si Etching Profile & Results]]
*[[media:SPTS-Primaxx_uEtch_Presentation-b.pdf|System Manual]]
*[[media:25-Dry_Etch_of_Unaxis_ICP-grown_SiO2_using_Vapor_HF_tool-a.pdf|Si Etching Profile & Results]]
*[[media:26-Dry_Etch_of_Unaxis_ICP-grown_SiO2_using_Vapor_HF_tool-b.pdf|Si Etching Profile & Results]]

Latest revision as of 22:51, 31 January 2014

HF Vapor Etch
IMG 2416 1.jpg
Tool Type Dry Etch
Location Bay 2
Supervisor Mike Silva
Supervisor Phone (805) 893-3096
Supervisor E-Mail silva@ece.ucsb.edu
Description Vapor HF Etcher
Manufacturer SPTS Inc
Dry Etch Recipes
Sign up for this tool


About

The applications of this tool are mainly in MEMS-device fabrication areas (releasing a MEMS structure by etching a sacrificial SiO2 layer below) with the use of Al2O3, Al or some other metal as an etch mask at 45oC. The tool uses vapor HF (VHF), EtOH (Ethanol vapor is an Alcohol-based one, ionizing the HF and activating etching, influencing within wafer etch uniformity, and being most compatible with VHF), and N2 gases and can process small sample(s) (on a 8" Si carrier wafer) up to an 8" wafer. There are 5 standard etch recipes installed in the tool with the SiO2 etch rate from low to high. The SiO2 under etch rate is from ~10nm/min to ~350nm/min.

Documentation