Reactive Ion Etch (RIE)

Instrument model:

Technology Description:

The RIE is an isotropic and directional dry etching for SiO₂, Si₃N₄, Si, graphene, and polymers. The reactive ion etcher produces a plasma from a process gas, typically oxygen or a fluorine bearing gas, using a high-frequency electric field at 13.56 MHz. A sample is placed in the plasma etcher, and a process gas is introduced at low pressure and excited into a plasma. Created ions are accelerated towards the wafers/samples surface where the material is removed selectively by ion impact and subsequent chemical reactions. The achievable etch rates vary from material to material for a given process and mask thicknesses should be adjusted to the desired etch depth.

Technical Information:

Substrate size: 12” Single wafer chamber, but smaller samples can be mounted on the sample holder.

Uniformity: < 5% on 101 mm (4'') in diameter wafer.

Available gases: 

• Reactive ion etch: CF₄, SF₆, CHF₃ and O₂.
• Plasma etch: Ar. 

Restrictions: No metal masks, no chlorine chemistry.