News Article
STS And XACTIX Announce Availability Of XeF2 Etch Module
The companies announced the immediate availability of the CVE etch
module for xenon diflouride gas (XeF2).
XeF2 is a fast isotropic etchant of
silicon, without plasma excitation and has a high selectivity for
silicon compared with a vast array of other materials commonly used
in CMOS and other semiconductor applications.
Key Advantages are:
• High selectivity of silicon to
other materials
• Dry etch process (No stiction, no
agitation or damage)
• Etching through nanoscale openings
or spaces.
One of the main applications of XeF2
etching is the release of MEMS structures using a sacrificial silicon
release layer. As a dry process with low or non existent attack on
other semiconductor materials, it results in increased yield, lower
fabrication costs and higher performance devices. XACTIX and Surface
Technology Solutions have cooperated to create a breakthrough chamber
design which provides the high throughput, uniformity, efficiency and
uptime required to make XeF2 a viable process for high volume
production. Up to this time achieving high uniformity required either
using lower gas pressures and flows or the introduction of a carrier
gas. Both these approaches have significant problems. Lower gas
pressures and flows reduce etch rates and throughput. Carrier gasses
reduce efficiency which significantly increases operating costs. Both
approaches limit the types of recipes which can be employed.
The chamber design encapsulates the
wafer in a smaller, symmetrical chamber while it is being etched.
This results in a very uniform and highly concentrated flow of gas
over the wafer. In addition, the movement of the chamber, wafer lift
and clamping mechanisms are consolidated into a single mechanical
system. The result is a much simpler and more reliable mechanism
achieving very low maintenance costs and down time.
The CVE module has been through
extensive testing over the last 18 months, both internally and with
customer samples. A three module cluster has been shipped this
summer.
silicon, without plasma excitation and has a high selectivity for
silicon compared with a vast array of other materials commonly used
in CMOS and other semiconductor applications.
Key Advantages are:
• High selectivity of silicon to
other materials
• Dry etch process (No stiction, no
agitation or damage)
• Etching through nanoscale openings
or spaces.
One of the main applications of XeF2
etching is the release of MEMS structures using a sacrificial silicon
release layer. As a dry process with low or non existent attack on
other semiconductor materials, it results in increased yield, lower
fabrication costs and higher performance devices. XACTIX and Surface
Technology Solutions have cooperated to create a breakthrough chamber
design which provides the high throughput, uniformity, efficiency and
uptime required to make XeF2 a viable process for high volume
production. Up to this time achieving high uniformity required either
using lower gas pressures and flows or the introduction of a carrier
gas. Both these approaches have significant problems. Lower gas
pressures and flows reduce etch rates and throughput. Carrier gasses
reduce efficiency which significantly increases operating costs. Both
approaches limit the types of recipes which can be employed.
The chamber design encapsulates the
wafer in a smaller, symmetrical chamber while it is being etched.
This results in a very uniform and highly concentrated flow of gas
over the wafer. In addition, the movement of the chamber, wafer lift
and clamping mechanisms are consolidated into a single mechanical
system. The result is a much simpler and more reliable mechanism
achieving very low maintenance costs and down time.
The CVE module has been through
extensive testing over the last 18 months, both internally and with
customer samples. A three module cluster has been shipped this
summer.