Education & Outreach > Short Courses > Short Course Catalog > Materials Processing > Plasma Etching and RIE: Fundamentals and Applications

Plasma Etching and RIE: Fundamentals and Applications


Course:
Plasma Etching and RIE: Fundamentals and Applications

Course Objectives

  • Know the basic concepts of plasma etching.
  • Understand the physics of RF glow discharges (both high and low density).
  • Understand the surface science aspects of reactive ion etching (RIE).
  • Learn about plasma-surface chemistry leading to etching.
  • Recognize the factors that influence etching anisotropy.

Course Description

The first day of this course covers plasma-assisted etching phenomena and equipment in a manner that will assist the attendee in understanding and developing plasma etching and RIE processes. The emphasis will be on the fundamental physical and chemical processes that determine the consequences of a reactive gas plasma/surface interaction. The role of energetic ions as encountered in RIE systems and the factors that influence anisotropy of etching will be described. Many kinds of plasma-assisted etching equipment will be discussed, including capacitively coupled, inductively coupled, and wave-generated plasma sources.

The second day of this course covers the applied aspects of plasma-assisted etching. Emphasis will be on mechanistic understanding as opposed to specific processing issues, recipes, and problems. The etching of Si and its compounds will be covered in detail as well as the etching of other technology-related materials such as Al, organics, III-V compounds, etc. Topics such as selectivity, loading, ARDE, damage, and issues associated with high-density plasma RIE will be covered. A section on plasma diagnostics will focus on optical emission spectroscopy with actinometry, mass spectrometry, and laser-induced fluorescence.

Online Costs (Day 1):
$350 – AVS Platinum Member
$400 – AVS Gold/Silver Member
$400 – Non-Member
$200 – Full Time Student


Online Costs (2 Days):
$600– AVS Platinum Member
$700– AVS Gold/Silver Member
$700– Non-Member
$300– Full Time Student

Course Materials

Course Materials

Course Cost: $790/$1120

Who should attend?

Scientists, technicians, and others working with or interested in the dry etching of materials in reactive gas glow discharges, particularly those who do not have extensive experience in the field.

Instructors

Randy Shul
Technical Staff, Sandia National Laboratories