Continuing our study of the principles of ICP-RIE etching,
The ICP-RIE system operates under low pressure, utilizing two independent radio frequency sources. One RF generator supplies power to the ICP coil to control ion flux, while another 13.56 MHz RF generator applies bias power to the bottom electrode, extracting ions and free radicals from the plasma and accelerating them towards the substrate surface. This configuration not only allows independent control of ion density and ion energy, increasing etch rate and process flexibility, but also achieves finer profile control and reduces sample damage.
In the next article, we will explore the main application scenarios of the ICP-RIE process.
