Continuing our discussion on ICP-RIE etching, let's delve into the two specific steps involved:
Physical Etching: In this step, ions in the plasma are accelerated towards the substrate by an electric field, physically sputtering the substrate material through direct ion collisions. This process relies on the kinetic energy of ions for the physical removal of materials.
Chemical Etching: During the chemical etching step, reactive free radicals in the plasma react with the substrate material to form volatile compounds, which are then removed during the pumping process, achieving chemical etching of the material. This step involves chemical changes in the material and is key to achieving precise etching.
Next, we will introduce some components of the ICP-RIE system and specific requirements for its use.
