BULK SILICON MICROMACHINING

Outline
• Background Knowledge
– Definition of bulk etching
– Types of bulk etching
• Plasma
• Wet Chemical
• Gas Phase
– Silicon crystal orientation
• Anisotropic wet etching
– Simple cases
– Intermediate cases
• Critical thinking
– Membrane and cantilever fabrication
 Definition
• Silicon bulk micromachining
– processes that involve partial removal of bulk material in
order to create three dimensional structures or free devices.
Anisotropic versus Isotropic Etch Profiles
 Plasma Etching

• In a high intensity AC electric field,

gas molecules will be de-associated and form very active
radicals, such as Cl −or F─

• The radicals react with silicon or other materials to

remove the materials.
 Deep Reactive Ion Etching
• High aspect ratio (depth/width ratio)
• Large depth
• Fast etch speed
• Can use convenient mask layers (silicon oxide,
photoresist)
 Outline
• Background Knowledge
– Definition of bulk etching
– Types of bulk etching
• Plasma
• Wet Chemical
• Gas Phase
– Silicon crystal orientation
• Anisotropic wet etching
– Simple cases
– Intermediate cases
• Critical thinking
– Membrane and cantilever fabrication
Lithography