Abstract:
A method for controlling a gap in an electrically conducting solid state structure provided with a gap. The structure is exposed to a fabrication process environment conditions of which are selected to alter an extent of the gap. During exposure of the structure to the process environment, a voltage bias is applied across the gap. Electron tunneling current across the gap is measured during the process environment exposure and the process environment is controlled during process environment exposure based on tunneling current measurement. A method for controlling the gap between electrically conducting electrodes provided on a support structure. Each electrode has an electrode tip separated from other electrode tips by a gap. The electrodes are exposed to a flux of ions causing transport of material of the electrodes to corresponding electrode tips, locally adding material of the electrodes to electrode tips in the gap.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for gas-phase bromine trifluoride (BrF3) silicon isotropic room temperature etching system for both bulk and surface micromachining. The gas-phase BrF3 can be applied in a pulse mode and in a continuous flow mode. The etching rate in pulse mode is dependent on gas concentration, reaction pressure, pulse duration, pattern opening area and effective surface area.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems for making a microelectromechanical system comprising supplying an etchant to etch one or more sacrificial structures of the system.
Abstract:
A method and system for monitoring status of a system component (200, 300) during a process. The method includes exposing a system component (200, 300) to a reactant gas during a process, where the reactant gas is capable of etching the system component material to form an erosion product, and monitoring release of the erosion product during the process to determine status of the system component (200, 300). Processes that can be monitored include a chamber cleaning process, a chamber conditioning process, a substrate etching process, and a substrate film formation process. The system component (200, 300) can be a consumable system part such as a process tube (25), a shield, a ring, a baffle, an injector, a substrate holder (35, 112), a liner, a pedestal, a cap cover, an electrode, and a heater (15, 20, 65, 70, 122), any of which can further include a protective coating. The processing system (1, 100) includes the system component (200,300) in a process chamber (10, 102), a gas injection system (94, 104) for introducing the reactant gas, a chamber protection system (92, 108) for monitoring the status of the system component (200, 300), and a controller (90, 124) for controlling the processing system (1, 100) in response to the status.
Abstract:
A process for producing etched micromechanical structures is provided, using Reactive Ion Etching (RIE), wherein a substrate is etched with a silicon etch gas mixture to obtain an aspect ratio of at least 10. The process comprises the steps of: a) anisotropic etching using a first silicon etch gas to obtain a primary microstructure; b) depositing a halocarbon film on the walls of the primary microstructure; d) isotropic etching using a second silicon etch gas, to obtain a final microstructure; said steps being carried out in a single run. Optional further steps are: c) etching the floor of the primary microstructure using said first silicon etch gas; and e) depositing a halocarbon film on the surface of the final microstructure. The process may involve applying high pressure (5-30 Pa) and low energy (10-90 eV), and preferably the use of a sulphur hexafluoride/oxygen/trifluoromethane plasma. The process can be controlled by monitoring the blackening of a silicon test surface as a function of varying the process parameters.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method and system of using downstream sensor elements (214) for determining the plasma conditions (e.g., plasma etching end point) in a semiconductor etching facility (202) that utilizes halogen-containing plasma and/or oxygen- containing plasma. Such sensor elements (214) are capable of exhibiting temperature change in the presence of energetic gas species, e.g., fluorine, chlorine, iodine, bromine, oxygen, and derivatives and radicals thereof that are generated by the plasma (204), and correspondingly generating an output signal indicative of such temperature change for determination of the plasma conditions in the etching plasma processing facility (202).
Abstract:
An etching monitoring apparatus (1) and related method for use in the manufacture of microstructures (2) (and in particular MEMS) located within an etching chamber (3) is described. The apparatus (1) and related method operates by setting the temperature of the chamber (3) within which the microstructure (2) is located at a starting temperature, and maintaining the partial pressure of an etching gas within the chamber (3) at a constant value. As a result the surface temperature o f the microstructure (2) within the chamber (3) is primarily determined by the etch rate. Therefore, by employing a thermometer (8) to monitor the change in etching surface temperature, a direct diagnostic for monitoring the etching process is provided.
Abstract:
A gas sensor and method of gas sensing, e.g., of a type as useful with downstream sensor elements for determining the plasma conditions (e.g., plasma etching end point) in a semiconductor etching facility that utilizes halogen-containing plasma and/or oxygen-containing plasma. Such sensor elements are capable of exhibiting temperature change in the presence of energetic gas species, e.g., fluorine, chlorine, iodine, bromine, oxygen, and derivatives and radicals thereof that are generated by the plasma, and correspondingly generating an output signal indicative of such temperature change for determination of the plasma conditions in the etching plasma processing facility.