Our ICP-RIE (Induced Coupled Plasma Reactive Ion Etcher) is used for two main applications:

1. Etching of III-V compounds using chlorinated gases (SiCl₄, BCl₃ and Cl₂).
2. Deep etching of silicon with SF₆ and O₂ at cryogenic temperatures.

The ion density in an ICP is two orders of magnitude higher than in capacitively coupled plasma systems such as parallel plate reactive ion etchers. Therefore ICP-RIE allows fast etch rates (ex: 0.6 µm/min for GaN, 4 µm/min for Si). Two RF-units allow controlling independently the ion density and the ion energy. The substrate holder can be heated up to 400°C and cooled down to -150°C. Low temperatures are needed for Si etching, whereas III-V etching usually requires high temperatures. The liquid nitrogen for cooling is supplied by a self-pressurized 120L Dewar tank.

Technical information

Wafer diameter		100 mm
Process gases		SF6, SiCl4, BCl3, Cl2, N2, O2, H2, Ar
Non-uniformity over 100 mm		<5 %
Working pressure range		1-250 mTorr
Electrode RF power		0 - 300 W
ICP RF power		0 - 2000 W
Electrode temperature		-150°C-400°C
Typical etch rates:	Si	4 µm/min
	InP	2 µm/min
	GaAs	2 µm/min
	GaN	600 nm/min