SLR 720 RIE

Reactive ion etchers are plasma processing tools used to remove material from a wafer surface under controlled conditions. Reactive ion etchers are part of dry etch processing and are used when a patterned layer must be transferred into an underlying film. Reactive ion etchers combine chemical reaction in a plasma with ion driven directionality to shape features in thin films.

Reactive ion etchers generate a low pressure plasma from process gases inside a chamber. Reactive species formed in the plasma react with exposed film surfaces, while an electric field accelerates ions toward the wafer to increase anisotropy. Reactive ion etch processing uses the patterned resist or hard mask as the local protection layer during material removal.

Reactive ion etch tools are used after a wafer has received a patterned masking layer from lithography and any needed pattern transfer preparation. Reactive ion etch tools perform the subtractive step that opens or transfers the pattern into the target film. Reactive ion etch processing is commonly followed by resist stripping, chamber cleaning, metrology, or subsequent deposition depending on the device flow.

Reactive ion etchers are used for patterned removal of dielectric, semiconductor, and metallic thin films when directional etching is needed. Reactive ion etchers support microfabrication tasks such as contact opening, layer definition, and general pattern transfer. Reactive ion etch processing is used in semiconductor, microsystem, photonic, and research fabrication environments.