Plasma-enhanced etching

Chemical and chemical engineering principles involved in plasma-enhanced etching and deposition are reviewed, modeling approaches to describe and predict plasma behavior are indicated, and specific examples of plasma-enhanced etching and deposition of thin-film materials of interest to the fabrication of microelectronic and optical devices are discussed. 

The limitations encountered with solution etching can be overcome by plasma-enhanced etching. Adhesion is not a major problem with dry-etch methods. Undercutting can be controlled by varying the plasma chemistry, gas pressure, and electrode potentials (2-6) and thereby generate directional or anisotropic profiles. 

Hess Graves Plasma-Enhanced Etching and Deposition... 

The nature of the primary reaction product differentiates plasma-enhanced etching from deposition. In etching, the volatility of reaction products... 

For the most part, plasma-enhanced etching and deposition are performed in four basic reactor types (Figure 7 2, 46). Each reactor has several basic components a vacuum chamber and pumping system to maintain reduced pressures, a power supply to create the discharge, and gas- or vaporhandling capabilities to meter and control the flow of reactants and products. 

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