Silicon ICP Etch Design

Patrick Ruther
Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK)
University of Freiburg, Germany
MST Design Laboratory, 12. November 2008

Overview

ICP etching Etch feature

Examples
Practical hints

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 2

Dry Etching - Principle

Generation of
etchant species
Diffusion

Mask material

Adsorption Reaction

Bulk material

General meaning

material removal by means of radicals and/or

energetic ions from plasma or ion beam source
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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 3

ASE-Process / Bosch-Process
ASE Advanced silicon etching

Gases:

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SF6

C4F8

Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 4

Desorption

ASE-Process / Bosch-Process

Etch mask

ASE ripples

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 5

Process Parameters / Effects

Parameter

Effect

Gas mixture (chemistry)

Etch rate, profile

Flow rate

Etch rate

Switching times

Etch rate , profile, ripples

Pressure

Etch rate, profile,

selectivity, uniformity

RF power (plasma source)

Etch rate

RF power (platen source)

Etch rate, profile,

selectivity

Wafer temperature (chuck)

Profile (etch / pass)

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 6

Etch Characteristics - Notching

Trench

Bulk silicon

Notching
Etch stop layer (silicon oxide)

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 7

Etch Characteristics - RIE Lag

Depletion of etchant species

Silicon column

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 8

Etch Characteristics - RIE Lag

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 9

Etch Characteristics - Open Area

Silicon column

Bulk silicon

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 10

Etch Characteristics - Poor Etch Mask

Poor profile
shape

Micro trenching

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 11

Etch Characteristics - Selectivity

Insufficient etch mask

Micro trenching

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 12

Examples - Tunable Capacitor

Source: R.L. Borwick, et al.; A High Q, Large Tuning Range,Tunable Capacitor for
RF Application, Proc. MEMS 2002, (2002), 669-672

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 13

Examples - Micromechanical Resonator

Source: D. Galayko, et al.; High-Frequency High-Q Micro-Mechanical Resonators

in Thick epi-Poly Technology with Post-Process Gap-Adjustment,
Proc. MEMS 2002, (2002), 665-669

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 14

Examples - Top Spot

Source: B. de Heij, et al.; A Tunable and Highly-Parallel Picoliter-Dispenser Based

on Direct Liquid Displacement, Proc. MEMS 2002, (2002), 706-709

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 15

Examples - Microneedles

Smooth side
wall

No notching!
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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 16

Example 3D Force Sensor

Silicon frame
Cross arm
Silicon membran

Piezo resistors

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 17

Example 3D Force Sensor

Silicon frame
Cross arm
Silicon membran

Piezo resistors

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 18

Example 3D Force Sensor (Cont.)

Etch mask layout

Rear side

Front side

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 19

Practicle hints
Open area
As small as possible
Homogeneous over the wafer

Trench width
Homogeneous (if possible)
Round corners

Available area
Max. diameter 80 mm

Orientation with respect to crystal directions

No lines across the wafer fracture rotate by 7

Aspect ratio
1:20 to 1:30

Minimal line width

Dependent on wafer thickness/etch depth aspect ratio

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Patrick Ruther / MST Design Laboratory, Nov. 12, 2008 / slide 20