Lam Research
Rainbow 4420
Plate 01Lam Research Lam Rainbow 4400 4500 4600 4420 4520 4620 4720 plasma etcher semiconductor equipment
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What it is
General reference — not yet source-verifiedClass-levelly, a plasma etcher removes selected material from a wafer by using a reactive plasma rather than a purely wet chemical process. Tools of this type sit in the pattern-transfer part of semiconductor fabrication, where they form patterned features after a mask or aligner-defined structure has been established.
How it works
General reference — not yet source-verifiedIn general, plasma etching works by generating a chemically active plasma that interacts with exposed material on the wafer surface. The mask protects selected regions, while the exposed regions are removed through ion-assisted chemical reaction and sputtering, allowing directional and patterned material removal.
Applications
General reference — not yet source-verifiedMore generally, plasma etchers are used for dry removal of thin films, sacrificial layers, and other exposed wafer materials in device fabrication. They are especially useful where directional etching and controlled endpoint behavior are needed.
What do the numbers mean?
Power & electrical1
Vacuum & pumping3
Wafer handling3
Control & software3
- Factory Interface SMIF (2)[2]
Configuration & options7
Vintage & configurations
Documented models & variants
| Designation | Generation | Vintage | Changes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow 4420 Plasma Etcher, 8" | — | 1994 | 8-inch wafer size; Envision 1.5 software; CIM SECS; process CMOS; Harmonics Arm (2); SMIF (2); LL Pump; TCU 2080; AC Rack; PC Pump; 208 volts. | Equipment inventory listing[2] |
What does it need to run?
Site utility requirements, footprint, and infrastructure needed to install and operate this tool. Sourced from public records.
Where are the manuals?
Publicly hosted documents referencing this tool, linked at their original location. Hosted by the linked institutions — availability may change.
- wet_etch_121500.pdfDocumentumd.edu
Generated from public-source data on file. Enter your email to access — nothing is published; details are routed privately.
Not publicly documented
Field notes
No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.
Frequently asked questions
What does an etch system do in semiconductor processing?General reference — not yet source-verified
It removes selected material from a wafer or other substrate so that patterned features can be formed in the underlying layer.
What kinds of materials can machines of this class process?General reference — not yet source-verified
Machines of this class are used on a range of semiconductor films and substrate materials, with process chemistry chosen to match the target layer and the masking scheme.
Why is etch important in the fabrication flow?General reference — not yet source-verified
Etch transfers the pattern created by lithography into physical material, making it a key step in defining device structures.
How do etch systems achieve pattern selectivity?General reference — not yet source-verified
They rely on controlled chemistry and energy delivery so that exposed target material is removed more quickly than masked or protected areas.
Not publicly documented
The following facts about the Rainbow 4420 are absent from this record as of this revision. First-hand knowledge or a citation closes a gap; every submission is reviewed before publication.
No publicly documented production dates or lifecycle milestones (introduction, end of production, EOL) for the Rainbow 4420 are on record.
Answerable by: OEM historical records or a trade-press announcement
The control-system platform and OS era of the Rainbow 4420 are not on record.
Answerable by: an engineer who operated it or OEM installation records
No publicly documented failure modes or field errata for the Rainbow 4420 are on record.
Answerable by: a field service engineer, process engineer, or maintenance technician
The process node or technology generation of the Rainbow 4420 is not on record.
Answerable by: an OEM datasheet or a fab qualification report
No publicly documented compatible parts, consumables, or accessories for the Rainbow 4420 are on record.
Answerable by: an OEM parts catalog or a service engineer
No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.
Sources & citations
Sources (7)Every fact above is drawn from these public sources
- [1]Inventory photo
- [2]Inventory photo
- [3]inventory listing
- [4]inventory listing
- [5]WO2012083604A1 - Semiconductor device manufacturing method - Google Patents — patents.google.compatents.google.com
- [6]WO2012083603A1 - Planarizing method of interlayer dielectric layer - Google Patents — patents.google.compatents.google.com
- [7]wet_etch_121500.pdf — nanocenter.umd.edunanocenter.umd.edu
Last updated Jul 29, 2026.