Technics800MicroRIEOperatingManualDescriptionReactiveIonEtchSeries800PlasmaSystem(MICRO‐RIE)(Appendix:Figure1)usesaradiofrequencysignaltogenerateplasmaofchemicallyreactivegasusedtoetchvariousmaterials.Thesystemgenerateslowpressure,lowtemperature,andgaseousplasma.Thesurfacetobeetchedisplaceddirectlyontothecathodeandmomentumtransferplaysasignificantroleintheetchingprocess.Thusbyvaryingtheprocessparameters,etchingmaybedoneeitherisotropicallyandanisotropically.TheRIEhasthreemassflowcontrollers(MFCs)toassureprecisecontroloftheprocessgases.Theexhaustvalvecontrollercontrolschamberpressure.Thepowersupplyprovidesupto300wattsat30KHz.Thesystemcansupportfour‐inchwafershoweverdifferentsizeandshapesamplescanbemounted.

Safety

1. Beforeusingthistool,usersmustbeproperlytrainedandcertifiedbyLabstaff.2. DONOTrelyontheinterlocksorvalvecontrolsonthissystemtoshutoffgas

bottles.Alwaysusethemanualshut‐offvalvesandproperpurgingprocedures(Appendix:Figure3).

3. PlasmaisasourceofUVradiation.Donotlookdirectlyintoplasmaforlongperiods.

4. Ifthemachinemalfunctionsanytimeduringtheprocess,pressemergencyshutoffbutton(Appendix:Figure2)andcallNCNCstaff.

a. LabPhone 2‐9831b. BobProhaska 2‐1094

InitialSystemCheck

1. Checkthelogbookforlatestentryandcomments.2. MakesurethesystemisON.ChecktoseethattheL.E.D.displaysareON

(Appendix:Figure1).3. ThesystemshouldbeinMANmode(Appendix:Figure4).4. Exhaustvalvecontrollersettings(Appendix:Figure5).

a. MakesuretheexhaustvalvecontrollerisON.IfthecontrollerisinOFFposition,turnitonandallowfifteenminutestowarmup.

b. ConfirmthattheINT/EXTtoggleisintheINTposition.c. Theinputtoggleshouldbein1Vposition.d. Theset‐pointdialshouldbesettozero.

5. Makesurethegasesyouwanttouseareconnectedtothesystem.

StartupandEtchprocedure

Determineyourrecipe1. Filmtoetched(SiO2,Si3N4,PR,etc).2. Thicknessifknown3. Lookupsimilarrecipeinthelogbook.Notethe(i)typesofgasesneeded,(ii)flow

ratesinsccm,(iii)pressureinmTorr,(iv)powerinwatts,(v)timeneededifrelevant.

LoadingSample

Toloadasample/samplesputSol’ntoCLOSEpositionandOPENVent.Waitaboutoneminutetoopenthechamberandwipeanyparticlesaroundthechamber.NowCLOSEVent.Loadyoursampleandclosethechamber.PutSol’ntoOPENposition(Appendix:Figure4).Note:Ifyouareusingsmallsamplesuseslowpumpoptionfor2‐5minutes(Appendix:Figure4).

SetetchparametersandetchingNote:Beforestartingtheetchingprocess,arrangeyourownstopwatch/timerforetching.1. Gotothecylindersandopenthemanualshutoffvalvefortherequiredgases

(SF6/O2orCF4/O2orO2).DONOTADJUSTthepressureregulatorsvalvebetweenthetwodialgauges.

2. Setyourgasflowsandflipontherequiredgasswitches(Appendix:Figure6).a. Selectthegasusinggasselectionknob.

i. A:O2ii. B:CF4iii. C:SF6

b. Settheread/setdialknobtoSET.c. Usegasregulatorknobforparticulargastosettheflows.d. Turnonthetoggleswitch.

3. Waittillthechamberhaspumpdownto25mTorr(.025Torr).Thenturnon(flipup)

theGAS1switch(Appendix:Figure4).YouwillseetheLEDlightslitup

Note:Youcouldusemorethanonegas,followthesameprocedurefroma‐d.Settheread/setdialtoREADtoreadthegasflowoftheselectedgasonthegasselectionknob.

4. Adjustthesetpointdialoftheexhaustvalvecontrollertotherequiredsettings.DoublecheckwiththepressuredisplayontheRIE.Youshouldseethepressuredisplaychangingasyouturnsetpointdial.Waituntilthepressurestabilizes.

5. TurnONthepowerswitchandsetthepowersettingdisplayontheRIE.Plasmawillignite(Appendix:Figure4).

6. Onceyouaredonewiththeetchingprocessa. TurnthepowertoOFFpositionb. TurntheGas1switchtoOFF(flipdown)position.c. TurnOFFthetoggleswitchesongasses.d. Turnthepressurevalvecontrollertozero.DONOTTOUCHANYTHINGELSE.

UnloadingtheSample

1. WaittillthepressuredisplayontheRIEshows25mTorr.StopPumpDown(Sol’n

Close),purgebyventingonandoffquickly(VentOpenthenClose),andStartPumpDown(Sol’nOpen).Repeatfor3times.

2. StopPumpDown(Sol’nClose).StartVent(VentOpen).Waitaboutoneminuteandopenthechamber.StopVent(VentClose).RemoveSample.

3. WipeandcleanchamberwithIPAifnecessary.CloseChamber.PumpDown(Sol’nOpen).

4. WaittillpressuredisplayonRIEshows25mTorr,StopPumpDown(Sol’nClose)andnotethefinaldisplayedpressurereadingafter1mininthelogbook.

5. Gotothegascylindersandclosemanualshut‐offvalves.DONOTADJUSTTHEPRESSUREREGULATORKNOBthatisbetweenthedialgauges.

6. CommentontheLogBook.

Appendix:

Figure1:Technics800RIESystem

Figure2:EmergencyShutoffButton

Figure3:GasCylinderRegulator

Figure4:EtchParameters

Figure4:SystemControlPanel

Figure5:Pressure/ExhaustValveControl

Figure6:GasSelectionandRegulatorPanel