Etching Process
Ion Beam Etching
IBE
Ion Beam Etching is an etching technique that utilizes an ion source to etch material from a substrate surface with excellent uniformity and precision. IBE can be used on a variety of materials, including metals, oxides, semiconductors, and organics. This etching method involves the use of a beam of high-energy charged particles, usually Argon, to physically remove material from the surface of a sample. These ions are created within an ion source, from where they are accelerated to high energies through an electric field and then focused into a beam with the help of magnetic or electrostatic lenses. When the ion beam is directed at the sample surface, it collides with the atoms in the material, causing them to be ejected from the surface. The process can be precisely controlled by adjusting the energy of the ion beam and the angle at which it is directed
Applications
RIE applications range from low and high-power semiconductors for trenches and vias realization, MEMS for elimination of sacrificial material and general feature definition, de-processing and failure analysis, which makes RIE a key technique to be available in most semiconductor R&D and production facilities.
- Consumer Electronics
- Automotive Industry
- Healthcare and medical devices
- Optics and Photonics
- Research
Key features
- Etching angle adjustment with tiltable and rotatable substrate holder
- Enhanced selectivity and rate with reactive gases
- Optional SIMS based or optical in-situ diagnostics and End Point Detection for process control
- Substrate cooling down to -35 °C
- Optional optical emission spectrometer for insitu plasma diagnostics and End Point Detection
- Optional real-time, in-situ, plasma etch depth monitoring and end point detection plus colinear wafer vision system
- Different reactive gases (02 , H2, N2, etc.) can be used during etching process
- Single or multiple automatic or manual load lock and manipulators
Etched materials
Metals, Oxides, Nitrides, Carbides, Semiconductors, Carbon Based Materials, Organics