Specific Process Knowledge/Etch/ICP Metal Etcher

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The ICP Metal Etcher

The SPTS ICP Metal Etcher in the DTU Nanolab cleanroom B-1

Name: PRO ICP
Vendor: STS (now SPTS)
The ICP Metal Etcher allows you to dry etch a small set of metals that includes aluminium, titanium, chromium, titanium tungsten and molybdenum (along with the related oxides and nitrides). It is, despite its name, strictly forbidden to etch (or expose to plasma) other metals. In order to do so use the IBE/IBSD Ionfab 300.

The user manual, user APV and contact information can be found in LabManager:

Equipment info in LabManager

Process information

Standard recipes

• Etch of aluminium
• Etch of titanium
• Etch of chromium

Other etch recipes

• Barc Etch
• Etch of silicon
• Etch of silicon oxide
• Etch of silicon nitride
• Etch of Titanium Oxide
• Etch of Titanium Nitride
• Al₂O₃ Etch

End point detection

• Examples of End point detection

An overview of the performance of the ICP Metal Etcher and some process related parameters

Purpose	Dry etch of	Metals such as aluminium, chromium and titanium and the related oxides and nitrides Metals such as molybdenum, tungsten, titanium tungsten
Performance	Etch rates	Aluminium : ~350 nm/min (depending on features size and etch load)
	Anisotropy	Good
Process parameter range	Process pressure	~0.1-95 mTorr
	Gas flows	SF6: 0-100 sccm O2: 0-100 sccm C4F8: 0-100 sccm Ar: 0-300 sccm CF4: 0-100 sccm H2: 0-30 sccm CH4: not working BCl3: 0-90 sccm Cl2: 0-100 sccm HBr: 0-100 sccm
Substrates	Batch size	1 6" wafer per run 1 4" wafer per run 1 2" wafer per run Or several smaller pieces on a carrier wafer
	Substrate material allowed	Silicon wafers with layers of silicon oxide or silicon (oxy)nitride Quartz wafers
	Possible masking material	Photoresist/e-beam resist PolySilicon, Silicon oxide or silicon (oxy)nitride Aluminium, titanium or chromium