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Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching (ICP)

Inductively coupled plasma etchers produce higher plasma density and are hence called HDP, High Density Plasma, systems. These have two sources of plasma power. The first, a non-capacitive coupled source, such as inductively coupled (ICP) or ECR coupled, where power is transferred or coupled to the plasma with minimal voltage difference between the plasma and the wafer (about 50 V or less). The inductively coupled plasma referred to as the source power, controls the plasma density (number of ions per cc) and thus controls the ions flux (ions per sq cm per sec) bombarding the wafer. The second power source is the bias power and is connected through the wafer chuck/electrode and is capacitively coupled (CCP). The bias power is used to control the voltage between the wafer and the plasma. This voltage between wafer and plasma is important, as it controls the energy and directionality of the ions bombarding the wafer surface. Thus, with high density plasmas we have the ability to control both ion flux and ion energy independently.

Technique Tabs

Main Tab
Processing Techniques Equipment name & NEMO ID Teaser Blurb Cleanliness Location
Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching (ICP) Lam Research TCP 9400 Poly Etcher
lampoly

Lam 9400 TCP Poly Etcher ; Clean category; for poly and Si etches; maximum etch depth 3um.

Clean, Semiclean SNF Cleanroom Paul G Allen L107
Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching (ICP) Oxford III-V etcher
Ox-35

Ox-35 is an ICP-RIE etch system configured for the etching of III-V materils and Si.

Flexible SNF Cleanroom Paul G Allen L107
Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching (ICP) Oxford Plasma Pro ICP-RIE
Ox-gen
Clean SNF Cleanroom Paul G Allen L107
Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching (ICP) Plasma Therm Versaline LL ICP Deep Silicon Etcher
PT-DSE

PT-DSE is an Deep Si etches using alternate gas technique similar to Bosch process.

Flexible SNF Cleanroom Paul G Allen L107
Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching (ICP) Plasma Therm Versaline LL ICP Dielectric Etcher
PT-Ox

PT-MTL is an ICP-RIE etch system configured for the etching of silicon oxide and deep glass/quartz etching.

Flexible SNF Cleanroom Paul G Allen L107
Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching (ICP) Plasma Therm Versaline LL ICP Metal Etcher
PT-MTL

PT-MTL is an ICP-RIE etch system configured for the etching of metals and metal-based compounds with volatile bi-products

Flexible SNF Cleanroom Paul G Allen L107
Detail Tab
Processing Technique Equipment name & NEMO ID Cleanliness Primary Materials Etched Other Materials Etched Substrate Size Maximum Load (number of wafers) Process Temperature Range Gases Notes
Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching (ICP) Lam Research TCP 9400 Poly Etcher
lampoly
Clean, Semiclean
25

Single wafer etch with auto-loading from a cassette. Equipment originally used for gate etching with high selectivity to thin gate oxides.

Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching (ICP) Oxford III-V etcher
Ox-35
Flexible
1

Metal etching or  Metal hard masks are not allowed. 4" wafers; can be adopted to do 6" or 8" wafers; pieces need to be bonded to carrier wafers; Restrictions: III-V materials only.

Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching (ICP) Oxford Plasma Pro ICP-RIE
Ox-gen
Clean 1
-10 °C - 60 °C
Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching (ICP) Plasma Therm Versaline LL ICP Deep Silicon Etcher
PT-DSE
Flexible
1

Single wafer; Bosch process for Si etching; Default 4" config; Can be converted to 6" config; pieces need to be attached to carrier wafer; need a support wafer for through wafer etching, can be used for Isotropic Si Etching

Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching (ICP) Plasma Therm Versaline LL ICP Dielectric Etcher
PT-Ox
Flexible
1

Single wafer; Default 4" config; Can be converted to 6" config; pieces need to be attached to carrier wafer; Restrictions: Can not etch metals or metal oxides with no volatile by-products (shorting & arcing issues)

Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching (ICP) Plasma Therm Versaline LL ICP Metal Etcher
PT-MTL
Flexible
1

Single wafer; Default 4" config; Can be converted to 6" config; pieces need to be attached to carrier wafer; Restrictions: Can not etch metals or metal oxides with no volatile by-products (shorting & arcing issues)

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