Process Data

Slanted Grating Etch with RIBE Process

Overview

Compared to the purely physical processes of the Pangea^® ion beam etching (IBE) series, our Pangea^® R chambers introduce highly reactive gases such as fluorine-based chemicals into the ion beam source for reactive etching. Together with the inert gases typical of IBE processes, these reactive gases enter the discharge chamber of the ion source and become ionized into a uniform plasma. The plasma is accelerated by the grids of the ion source, and subsequently neutralized by the neutralizer. The ion beam hits the substrate surface with a desired set of energy and ion flux, etching the sample through chemical reactions as well as physical bombardment.

RIBE processes enjoy higher etch rate, and better etch selectivity. The wafer holder can be tilted, altering the direction of impact to control the sidewall slope. Since the beam energy and ion flux can be adjusted separately, the RIBE process can create features with flat trench bottoms.

The most significant application of the Pangea^® R series is on samples with special features, such as slanted or blazed gratings made of silicon, silicon dioxide, or quartz. If the reactive gas lines are switched off, the Pangea^® R series can perform purely physical IBE processes as well. For special processes with both IBE and RIBE steps, this added versatility is a bonus.