Specific Process Knowledge/Etch/DryEtchProcessing/Comparison

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Hardware and option comparison of the dry etchers

The table below compares the hardware and the options.

		ASE	AOE	DRIE-Pegasi		ICP Metal etch	III-V RIE	III-V ICP	IBE/IBSD Ionfab 300
				Pegasus 1	Pegasus 2
Purpose	Primary uses	Formerly the primary silicon etcher; now polymers, Silicon oxides and nitrides may also be etched. 5% metal on the surface is allowed.	Etching of silicon oxides or nitrides	Silicon etching		Standard recipes for etching of Al, Cr and Ti, now also etches of W, TiW and Mo	Etching of silicon oxide, resist, BCB, silicon nitride, InP, InGaAs and GaAs on III-V substrates	Etching of III-V materials such as GaN, InP/InGaAsP/InGaAs, AlGaAs, GaAs	Physical Etching of all materials
	Alternative/backup uses	Backup silicon etcher		Barc etch		Silicon etcher
General description	Plasma source	Inductively coupled plasma chamber with two RF generators; the coil and platen generator	Inductively coupled plasma chamber with two RF generators; the coil and platen generator	Inductively coupled plasma chamber with two RF generators; the coil (with outer and inner coil) and platen generator		Inductively coupled plasma chamber with two RF generators; the coil and platen generator	Parallel plate capacitor setup with RF power between the two electrodes	Inductively coupled plasma chamber with two RF generators; the coil and platen generator	Ion beam etcher - sputter etches with argon ions
	Substrate cooling/temperature	The electrode is oil cooled. Also, Helium backside cooling: -10oC to 20oC	The electrode is oil cooled. Also, Helium backside cooling: -10oC to 60oC	The electrode is oil cooled. Also, Helium backside cooling: -20oC to 30oC		The electrode is oil cooled. Also, Helium backside cooling: -10oC to 50oC	The electrode is oil cooled: Fixed at 20oC	The electrode is oil cooled with a special chiller. Also, Helium backside cooling: 20oC to 180oC	The electrode is oil cooled with a special chiller. Also, Helium backside cooling: 5oC to 60?oC
	Clamping/wafer size	Electrostatic clamping (semco electrode) Wafer size 4"	Electrostatic clamping (TDESC) Wafer size 4"	Electrostatic clamping (TDESC) Wafer size 4"		Electrostatic clamping (TDESC) Wafer size 6"	No clamping Sample size up to 4"	Mechanical clamping (weighted clamp with ceramic fingers) Wafer size 4"	Mechanical clamping Wafer sizes 2"/4"/6"/8"
	Gasses	SF6 O2 C4F8 Ar CF4 CHF3 H2 He	SF6 O2 C4F8 H2 CF4 He	SF6 O2 C4F8 Ar		SF6 O2 C4F8 Ar CF4 H2 BCl3 Cl2 HBr	O2 CHF3 CH4 Ar H2	SF6 O2 CF4 Ar CH4 H2 HBr BCl3 Cl2	Ar O2 CHF3
	RF generators	Coil generator Platen generator	Coil generator Platen generator	Coil generator Platen generator Low frequency platen generator		Coil generator Platen generator	RF generator	Coil generator Platen generator	Coil generator on plama chamber 3 accelerator grids between plasma chamber and process chamber
	Substrate loading	Loading via dedicated two-slot carousel load lock	Loading via dedicated two-slot carousel load lock	Loading via dedicated two-slot carousel load lock or via atmospheric cassette loader	Loading via dedicated two-slot carousel load lock	Loading via dedicated two-slot carousel load lock	Manual loading directly into process chamber	Loading via dedicated two-slot carousel load lock	Automatic loading via load lock
	Options	Bosch multiplexing Parameter ramping		Bosch multiplexing Parameter ramping SOI option Claritas endpoint detection	Bosch multiplexing Parameter ramping SOI option Optical endpoint detection	Parameter ramping Optical endpoint detection	Laser endpoint detection	Parameter ramping Bosch multiplexing Optical endpoint detection Laser endpoint detection	SIMS endpoint detection
Allowed materials		Silicon Fused silica Sapphire SiC Resists Some polymers <5% metal on the suface (for 4")	Silicon Fused silica Sapphire SiC Resists Al,(Cr) as masking materials	Silicon Fused silica Sapphire SiC Resists		Silicon Fused silica Sapphire SiC Al, Cr, Ti, W, Mo, Nb Resists	Silicon Fused silica Sapphire SiC GaAs, GaN, InP, with epitaxial layers Resists (at low temperature processing)	Silicon Fused silica Sapphire SiC GaAs, GaN, InP, with epitaxial layers Resists (at low temperature processing)	Almost any material, see LabManager