Abstract:
A method and apparatus for anisotropically plasma etching semiconductor materials is disclosed. The apparatus includes an etching chamber for plasma etching which includes therein a gas confinement apparatus and/or a gas flow modifier to focus the plasma gas onto the substrate to be etched and provide uniform etch rates, modulation of sidewall profile shapes or surface morphology during processing. The gas confinement apparatus and the gas flow modifier are formed of any suitable shape and may include openings therein to produce a balanced gas flow rate. The apparatus is especially useful for etching GaAs and InP substrates.
Abstract:
A system and method for reactive ion etching (RIE) system of a material is provided. The system includes a plasma chamber comprising a plasma source and a gas inlet, a diffusion chamber comprising a substrate holder for supporting a substrate with a surface comprising the material and a gas diffuser, and a source of a processing gas coupled to the gas diffuser. In the system and method, at least one radical of the processing gas is reactive with the material to perform etching of the material, the gas diffuser is configured to introduce the processing gas into the processing region, and the substrate holder comprises an electrode that can be selectively biased to draw ions generated by the plasma source into the processing region to interact with the at least one processing gas to generate the at least one radical at the surface.
Abstract:
The invention is embodied by a plasma reactor for processing a workpiece, including a reactor enclosure (105) defining a processing chamber (100), a semiconductor window (110), a base (120) within the chamber (100) for supporting the workpiece (125) during processing thereof, a gas inlet system (137) for admitting a plasma precursor gas into the chamber (100), and an inductive antenna (145) adjacent a side of the semiconductor window (110) opposite the base (120) for coupling power into the interior of the chamber (100) through the semiconductor window electrode (110).