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Wet and Dry Etching

ICP-RIE etcher (Cl and F based)

Our facility has two dedicated tools for high quality and reproducible dry etching. RIE modules deliver anisotropic dry etching for an extensive range of processes. It offers a 200mm platform for excellent uniformity, high throughput, and high precision processes. An inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source produces a high density of reactive species at low pressure. One tool is dedicated for Fluorine based etching and other system offers Chlorine based etching.

ICP-RIE Etcher (F based)

  •   Deep silicon etching
  •   Bosch process capability : C4F8 and SF6
  •   ICP source 1200 W at 13.56 MHz driven parallel plate reactor
  •   Wide temperature range substrate electrode: -150 to + 400 °C
  •   Gasses: C4F8, CHF3,  CF4, SF6, O2, Ar
  •   Vacuum load lock
  •   Shower head gas inlet optimized for RIE
  •   High conductance vacuum layout
  •   PC 2000 Control

Allowed Materials: PMMA, Photoresist, Ge, Si

User Support and  Scientific Advice:

Bruno Magalhaes bmartins@ist.ac.at

Rodolfo Previdi  rodolfo.previdi@ist.ac.at

Juan Luis Aguilera  juan.aguilera@ist.ac.at


ICP-RIE Etcher (Cl Based)

  • Gasses: BCl3, Cl2, SF6, CHF3, C4F8, O2, Ar
  • Vacuum load lock
  • Showerhead gas inlet optimized for RIE
  • High conductance vacuum layout
  • PC 2000 Control
  • ICP source 1200 W at 13.56 MHz
  • Substrate electrode temperature range: -30 – +80 °C

User Support and  Scientific Advice:

Rodolfo Previdi  rodolfo.previdi@ist.ac.at

Juan Luis Aguilera  juan.aguilera@ist.ac.at

Lubuna Shafeek  lubuna.shafeek@ist.ac.a


Vapor HF

ORBIS: MemsStar System for HF Vapor

HF vapor etch system is used to remove sacrificial silicon oxide layers, primarily to release silicon microstructures. Gaseous HF etchant penetrates smaller features easily and allows longer undercuts. The system allows the possibility of stiction-free etching and handles materials from sample sizes to 200mm.

 Allowed materials: SiO2

  • Fully integrated and compact system
  • HF vapor etch to remove sacrificial silicon oxide layers
  • High selectivity and stable process windows
  • Large process window to optimize process for any structure
  • Selectivity with silicon nitride and silicon dioxide (<5%)
  • High selectivity to under layer and mechanical materials
  • High etch rates for undercut and blanket Si
  • Uniformity (<5%)
  • Repeatability (<5%)
  • No corrosion
  • No stiction
  • In-line controls: etch rate monitor, endpoint, and temperature

User Support and  Scientific Advice:

Lubuna Shafeek  lubuna.shafeek@ist.ac.at    

Matko Kandzija  matko.kandzija@ist.ac.at

Bruno Magalhaes bmartins@ist.ac.at


Plasma Asher

Diener PICO: PLASMA SYSTEM

PICO plasma system is used to modify surfaces, precision cleaning of contaminated components, plasma activation of plastic parts, etching of PTFE/silicon, and coating of plastic parts with PTFE like films.  Low-pressure plasma is used to bond materials together or to change the surface properties to suit ones needs. In the low-pressure plasma technology, gas is excited in a vacuum by supplying energy. This results in energetic ions and electrons, as well as other reactive particles, which constitute the plasma. The effect of the plasma changes by varying the process parameters such as pressure, power, process time, gas flow and composition. 

  • O2 plasma system
  • 6-inch chamber and tray in quartz
  • Max power up to 300W at 13.56 MHz
  • 2 gas channels via needle valves 

User Support and  Scientific Advice:

Evgeniia Volobueva evgeniia.volobueva@ist.ac.at

Lubuna Shafeek  lubuna.shafeek@ist.ac.at

Bruno Magalhaes bmartins@ist.ac.at


Wet Benches

HF wet bench

User Support and  Scientific Advice:

Lubuna Shafeek  lubuna.shafeek@ist.ac.at

Bruno Magalhaes bmartins@ist.ac.at

Juan Aguilera  juan.aguilera@ist.ac.at


Acid/Base wet bench

NFF facility has two wet benches for acid and base processing. All general acids and base can be processed here, for example acids like Acetic Acid, Aluminum Etch, Chrome Etch, Nitric Acid, Phosphoric Acid, and Sulfuric Acid, Copper etchant, and aluminum etchant. One of the wet bench is equipped with two acid tanks which can be used for KOH/Piranha solution. 

User Support and  Scientific Advice:

Evgeniia Volobueva evgeniia.volobueva@ist.ac.at  

Lubuna Shafeek  lubuna.shafeek@ist.ac.at  

Bruno Magalhaes  bmartins@ist.ac.at


Solvent wet bench

NFF facility has four dedicated wet benches for solvent processing, two are located in photo lithography room.  These are equipped with spin coater system, ultrasonic bath, programmable hot plates, and sinks for halogenated and non-halogenated waste disposal.

 User Support and  Scientific Advice:

Rodolfo Previdi  rodolfo.previdi@ist.ac.at

Bruno Magalhaes bmartins@ist.ac.at

Lubuna Shafeek  lubuna.shafeek@ist.ac.at  



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