NIST CNST NanoFab Equipment
Dry Etch

Certain commercial equipment, and software, are identified in this documentation to describe the subject adequately. Such identification does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the NIST, nor does it imply that the equipment identified is necessarily the best available for the purpose.

• High-temperature InP etching
• Physical milling of most III-V semiconductors
• Reactive etching of III-V semiconductors
• Reactive etching of metals

• Anisotropic etching of SiO₂ and SiN_x
• Low Temperature Si anisotropic etching
• CF4 (in Si/SiO2 etching)
• Anisotropic polymer etching
• Photo-resist etching and descum

A tool for etching deep Si-trench by "Bosch" process on planar substrates up to 150mm in diameter.

• Etching of Silicon at rates from 1 µm/min to 15 µm/min
• Selectivity to SiO2 ≥ 100 to 1
• Selectivity to Photoresist ≥ 40 to 1
• ICP: 2.4 MHz 250w
• RF: 13.56 MHz 300w
• Gases: C₄F8, SF₆, O₂, N₂, Ar

A system based on Argon and Fluorine gases to etch metal and dielectric materials on planar substrates up to 200mm in diameter.

• RF: 13.56 MHz
• Power: 500w
• Gases: Ar, CHF₃, CF₄, SF₆, O₂

• Physical milling of most metals
• Anisotropic etching of metal films
• Anisotropic etching of SiO₂ and SiN_x

A system based on Oxygen and Fluorine gases to etch polymer and dielectric materials on planar substrates up to 200mm in diameter.

• RF: 13.56 MHz
• Power: 500W
• Gases: CHF₃, CF₄, SF₆, N₂O, O₂

• Anisotropic thin film etch
• Etches Silicon Dioxide, Silicon Nitride, Silicon, and Organics
• Descum and Oxygen cleaning
• SiN_x Membrane

Chlorine-based system utilizing Boron Trichloride and Chlorine to etch metals and III-V group materials on planar substrates up to 150mm in diameter.

• ICP: 2.0 MHz 2500W
• RF: 13.56 MHz 300W
• Gases: Cl₂, Ar, BCl₃, SF₆, O₂

• Anisotropic etching of metal films
• Etches Chromium, Aluminum, and other Chlorine-based etchable metals
• Other materials etchable by SF₆, Ar, and O₂

This system uses Xenon difluoride vapor to etch silicon.

• Almost infinite selectivity of Silicon to photoresist, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and Aluminum.
• Utilizes Xenon Difluoride (XeF2) in vapor phase.

• Silicon substrates allowed.
• All other materials must be approved.
• Glass and Silicon Substrates allowed.

A tool using microwave oxygen plasma to remove organics on the surfaces

• Frequency: 2.45 GHz
• Power: 100W
• No Cr, AG exposed to the surface

• Surface cleaning after processes including ion implant, plasma etching, and sputter etching.
• Surface cleaning of semiconductor wafers after wet etch chemical process.
• Surface cleaning after extended storage.
• Removal of organic passivation layers and resist.

This system makes use of a broad ion beam to controllably and uniformly remove material from a wafer or wafer piece. It offers standard (IBE) and reactive (RIBE) ion beam etching capabilities.

• Gridded ion source: 20 cm in diameter; provides collimated, neutralized, high energy ion flux
• Small samples and up to 150 mm wafers
• Etch uniformity: 2.5% over 130 mm diameter
• Sample rotation: 0 to 20 rpm
• Sample tilt for tailoring of sidewalls and minimizing re-deposition
• Process gases: Ar for IBE; SF₆, CF₄, CHF₃ and O₂ for RIBE
• Base vacuum: 8 x 10^-8 Torr

• Milling of Au, Co, Cu, Fe, Ir, Mn, Ni, Permalloy, Pd, Pt, Ta, W, AlN, Al₂O₃, SiO₂, Si₃N₄, Ta₂O₅, TiO₂.
• Giant magneto-resistive spin valves fabrication
• Spintronics
• Sample thinning for TEM characterization
• Cross-sectioning for SEM characterization
• MEMS etching
• Grating fabrication