Plasma Etching with ICP-RIE and RIBE

Our Services

We develop and realize sophisticated micro- and nanostructures using reactive plasma and jet etching (ICP-RIE and RIBE) for a wide variety of materials and applications. Thanks to our modern equipment and many years of experience, we can efficiently implement individual customer requirements. We offer comprehensive advice and technology transfer for industrial and research projects.

• Advice on technology selection and feasibility
• Development of complex etching profiles (e.g. inclined gratings (RIBE)). e.g. inclined gratings (RIBE))
• Process development for new materials and requirements
• Structuring of silicon, fused silica, optical glass, dielectrics and metals
• Sample and small series production
• Support with technology transfer to your production

Benefits and Specifications of Plasma Etching

Our plasma etching processes enable the high-precision structuring of a wide variety of materials - from classic semiconductors to highly specialized optical glasses and metals. RIE and RIBE offer unique advantages, particularly in comparison to wet chemical processes:

• Material diversity: Silicon, fused silica, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, tantalum pentoxide, hafnium oxide, diamond, germanium, aluminum, chromium and many more.
• High resolution and edge steepness: Structures with aspect ratio > 1:10 can be realized
• Large substrates: Processing of wafers up to 400 mm diameter, special formats with thickness up to 15 mm (25mm) for ICP-RIE, weight up to 3 kg (12kg)(ICP-RIE) and 150 mm thickness up to 10 kg (RIBE)
• Flexible process control: Fluorine and chlorine-based plasmas, as well as oxygen and inert argon as process gases
• Complex profiles: Realization of profiles that are not possible with classic processes (e.g. inclined grids)
• Individual process development: Solutions for special material systems and new fields of application

Explanations of our Technology

What is ICP-RIE (Inductively Coupled Plasma - Reactive Ion Etching)?
RIE uses plasma to generate ions in a chamber of reactive gases (e.g. fluorine, chlorine), which are accelerated vertically onto the substrate. The combination of reactive gases and ion bombardment allows precise, anisotropic structures with high edge steepness and exact profile control to be produced. A high-density plasma, which enables high etching rates and material selectivity, is generated by inductively coupling a high-frequency power.

What is RIBE (Reactive Ion Beam Etching)?
RIBE combines the advantages of physical ion beam etching with chemical selectivity. By separating ion generation and sample mounting, etching angles can also be influenced asymmetrically (etching of inclined grids). The influences of sample thickness or electrical contacting can be controlled separately.

What else can we do?
We also offer wet chemical etching for trimming, chromium removal or bubble grid etching.