Apparatus and method for reactive ion etching
First Claim
1. Apparatus for reactive ion etching of a substrate, comprising:
- an injector head comprisinga plasma etch zone including an etch cavity having an etch cavity height He to a substrate surface, the etch cavity being provided with an etch gas supply and arranged with a plasma generating structure for igniting a plasma and further comprising an electrode structure arranged to accelerate the etch plasma toward a first substrate portion to have ions impinge on the surface of the substrate;
a passivation zone including a passivation cavity having a passivation cavity height Hp to a substrate surface, the passivation cavity being provided with a passivation gas supply;
said supply arranged for providing a passivation gas flow from the supply to the passivation cavity;
the passivation cavity in use being bounded by the injector head and the substrate surface; and
a gas purge structure comprising a gas exhaust arranged between said etch zone and passivation zone;
the gas purge structure thus forming a spatial division between each of the etch and passivation zones;
wherein said apparatus comprises cavity walls, and wherein said plasma etch zone and said passivation zone are confined by gas bearings at outer perimeters thereof,the apparatus further comprising a bearing gas injector arranged for providing one or more of the gas bearings, wherein the bearing gas injector is arranged in a bearing face part facing the substrate, the bearing face part defining a gap distance Hg to the substrate, which is smaller than the etch cavity height He and the passivation cavity height Hp; and
a pressure controller cooperating with the bearing gas injector for controlling the pressure of the gas bearings, the pressure controller being configured to independently control a first pressure in said etch cavity and a second pressure in said passivation cavity.
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Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus for reactive ion etching of a substrate, comprising: a plasma etch zone including an etch gas supply and arranged with a plasma generating structure for igniting a plasma and comprising an electrode structure arranged to accelerate the etch plasma toward a substrate portion to have ions impinge on the surface of the substrate; a passivation zone including a cavity provided with a passivation gas supply; said supply arranged for providing a passivation gas flow from the supply to the cavity; the cavity in use being bounded by the injector head and the substrate surface; and a gas purge structure comprising a gas exhaust arranged between said etch zone and passivation zone; the gas purge structure thus forming a spatial division of the etch and passivation zones.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. Apparatus for reactive ion etching of a substrate, comprising:
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an injector head comprising a plasma etch zone including an etch cavity having an etch cavity height He to a substrate surface, the etch cavity being provided with an etch gas supply and arranged with a plasma generating structure for igniting a plasma and further comprising an electrode structure arranged to accelerate the etch plasma toward a first substrate portion to have ions impinge on the surface of the substrate; a passivation zone including a passivation cavity having a passivation cavity height Hp to a substrate surface, the passivation cavity being provided with a passivation gas supply;
said supply arranged for providing a passivation gas flow from the supply to the passivation cavity;
the passivation cavity in use being bounded by the injector head and the substrate surface; anda gas purge structure comprising a gas exhaust arranged between said etch zone and passivation zone;
the gas purge structure thus forming a spatial division between each of the etch and passivation zones;wherein said apparatus comprises cavity walls, and wherein said plasma etch zone and said passivation zone are confined by gas bearings at outer perimeters thereof, the apparatus further comprising a bearing gas injector arranged for providing one or more of the gas bearings, wherein the bearing gas injector is arranged in a bearing face part facing the substrate, the bearing face part defining a gap distance Hg to the substrate, which is smaller than the etch cavity height He and the passivation cavity height Hp; and a pressure controller cooperating with the bearing gas injector for controlling the pressure of the gas bearings, the pressure controller being configured to independently control a first pressure in said etch cavity and a second pressure in said passivation cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification