The Plasma-Therm 720 is a workhorse parallel plate reactive ion etch system for etching dielectrics, some metals, semi-metals and polymers using chlorine and fluorine based chemistries. It can etch small parts through 200mm (8 inch) wafers and masks up to 5" x 5". It is a recipe driven systems that includes special recipes to clean the systems to assure process reproducibility when switching chemistries.

CAPABILITIES

This is a partial list of materials etched. If you do not see your material listed here please ask the staff, Guy Lavallee or Shane Miller for guidance.

Dielectrics
  • Thermal Oxide - Wet (SiO2)
  • Thermal Oxide - Dry (SiO2)
  • LPCVD Oxide (SiO2)
  • LPCVD Nitride (Si3N4)
  • PECVD Oxide (SiO2)
  • PECVD Nitride (SiNx)
  • PECVD OxyNitride
  • PECVD Si (a-Si)
Metals
  • Gold (Au)
  • Chromium (Cr)
  • Titanium (Ti)
  • Aluminum (Al)
  • Silicon (Si)
III-V Semiconductors
  • Gallium Arsenide (GaAs)
  • Indium Phosphide (InP)
  • Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs)
  • Aluminum Gallium Arsenide (AlGaAs)
  • Gallium Manganese Arsenide (GaMnAs)
  • Silicon (poly and a-Si)
Polymers
  • BCB (Benzocyclobutene polymers/resist)
  • LOR (Lift-off Resist)
  • Photoresist
  • Parylene
  • PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane)
  • Polyimide
  • SU-8 (epoxy photoresist)

PROCESSES

Typical etch recipes

NOTE: Since the system is used to etch a variety of different materials, a strict cleaning procedure (recipe) has been implemented to ensure process repeatability.