a systematic study of DRIE process for high aspect ratio microstructuring

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AsystematicstudyofDRIEprocessforhighaspectratiomicrostructuringManishKumarHoodaa,*,ManojWadhwaa,SanjayVermaa,M.M.Nayaka,P.J.Georgeb,A.K.PaulcaSemi-ConductorLaboratory,IndustrialArea,Sector-72Division:VMFD,Mohali,Punjab160071,India

bKITM,Kurukshetra,Haryana,India

cCentralScientificInstrumentOrganization,Chandigarh,India

articleinfoArticlehistory:Received27October2008Receivedinrevisedform14July2009Accepted26January2010Keywords:SiliconetchingMEMSDRIEHARMSmicro-machiningParameterrampingabstractVariousMEMSdeviceslikeAccelerometers,Resonators,RF-Filters,Micropumps,Microvalves,Micro-dispensersandMicrothrustersareproducedbyremovingthebulkofthesubstratematerials.Fabrica-tionsofsuchMicrosystemsrequirestheabilitytoengineerprecisethree-dimensionalstructuresinthesiliconsubstrate.FabricationofMEMSfacesmultipletechnologicalchallengesbeforeitcanbecomeacommerciallyviabletechnology.Onekeyfabricationprocessrequiredisthedeepsiliconetchingforforminghighaspectratiostructures.Thereisanincreasinginterestintheuseofdryplasmaetchingforthisapplicationbecauseofitsanisotropicetchingbehavior,highetchspeed,gooduniformityandprofilecontrol,highaspectratiocapabilitieswithouthavinganyundesiredsecondaryeffectsi.e.RIElags,Loading,microloading,loosingofanisotropicnatureofetchingasaspectratioincreases,micro-grassandevenetchstalling.DevelopingaDRIEmicro-machiningprocessrequiresathoroughunderstandingofallplasmaparameters,whichcanaffectasiliconetchingprocessandtheirusetosuppressthesecondaryeffects.Inthispaperourintentionistoinvestigatetheinfluenceofetchinggasflow,etchinggaspressure,passivationgaspressure,ICPcoilpower,Platenpowerandetchandpassivationtimesequenceonetchrateandsidewallprofile.Parameterrampingisapowerfultechniqueusedtoachievetherequirementsofhighaspectratiomicrostructures(HARMS)forMEMSapplicationsbyhavinghighetchratewithgoodprofile/CDcontrol.Theresultspresentedherecanbeusedtorationallyvaryprocessingparametersinordertomeetthemicrostructuralrequirementsforaparticularapplication.Ó2010ElsevierLtd.Allrightsreserved.

1.IntroductionHighaspectratiomicrostructuringisoneofthekeyprocessesforthefabricationofadvancedmicro-electro-mechanical-systems(MEMS)devices.TheabilityofflexiblepatterntransferintosiliconwithverticalsidewallsandhighaccuracyisacrucialrequirementforachievingdesignedMEMSstructures.InordertoestablishetchingprocessforMEMS,itisdesirabletomaintainhighetchrates,goodcontroloflinewidthanduniformityofetching,highselectivityovermaskandanisotropicetching.Reactiveionetchingbasedtechnologies[1,2]aregenerallysatisfyingthedemandofMEMSfabrication.However,thereareanumberofissuesthatstillhavetobeaddressed,suchasanisotropy,selectivity,aspectratioandfeatureshapedependentetchingandsidewallquality.Deepreactiveionetching(DRIE)isbeingincreasinglyrecog-nizedasanenablingMEMStechnologyforhighaspectratio

microstructuringanditisinfactplayingacrucialroleintheemergingfieldofMEMSdevices[3–5].Anextensivecharacteriza-tiondatabasehasbeenreportedrecentlyformonitoringandcontrollingoperatingconditionssoastohaveabettercontrolovertheetchrateandprofileanisotropywhileusingDRIEtoolthatemploystheBoschprocess.TheDRIEtechniquecanbebrieflydescribedasconsistingofsequentialetchingandpassivationstepsusinganappropriateetchchemistryintheetchstep(SF6for

etching,C4F8forpassivation)[6].However,solutiontotheproblem

ofetchinghighaspectratiomicrostructuresthatlocallydepletetheavailabilityofactiveetchantspecieswiththeincreasingaspectratioandhence,resultinginvarioussecondaryeffectse.g.RIElags,notching,micro-grass,etchstalling,loosingcriticaldimensional(CD)controlandaspectratiodependentetching(ARDE)isstilltakenupbytheresearchers.ThispapercorrelatestheeffectofkeyDRIEparametersonwaferprocessing,andgoesontodiscusshowtheprocesscanbeenhancedtomeettheproductspecificationsforvarioushighaspectratiomicrostructures(HARMS).Itisobservedthatparameterrampingisapowerfultechniqueusedtoachievetheoftenconflictingrequirementofhighetchratewithgoodprofile/CDcontrol.

*Correspondingauthor.Tel.:þ9101722237401-9;Ext:505;fax:þ910172

2236105.E-mailaddress:manishk@sclchd.co.in(M.K.Hooda).

ContentslistsavailableatScienceDirectVacuum

journalhomepage:www.elsevier.com/locate/vacuum

0042-207X/$–seefrontmatterÓ2010ElsevierLtd.Allrightsreserved.doi:10.1016/j.vacuum.2010.01.052

Vacuum84(2010)1142–1148