Reactive Ion Etch (RIE)
with Inductive Coupled Plasma (ICP)

Responsible: Anders Liljeborg

Introduction

Short user guide This is a very brief description, additional information is in the pages below.
Service notes

Welcome to the Reactive Ion Etch facility at the Nanofabrication Laboratory at KTH, Stockholm. Currently the system is equipped with three process gases:
  • Argon
  • Oxygen
  • Nitrogen
Below you can find detailed instructions on how to handle the etch system and to do etching of various materials. The complete Operating Manual is also accessible on this web-site.
The chamber is opened by a lifting cylinder powered by compressed air. The operation is controlled by the front panel buttons.

NOTE! The chamber lid is quite heavy, keep all objects such as hands, fingers, tools etc. away from the chamber area, especially when closing the chamber.

The system is completely computer controlled. All parameters such as duration, pressure, gas flow, RIE RF power, ICP RF power are controlled via different computer dialogs. Processes are easily put into complete recipes for more or less automatic runs.
The plasma can be observed through the small window. Here it is an argon plasma that is active.
Here is the oxygen plasma activated.
The oxygen plasma activated with both RIE and ICP. The ICP ceramic tube can be seen glowing through the mesh of the top cover.

Here are views from the back of the RIE system, showing the gas-lines, evacuation tubing etc. There is also an image of the rotary pump and it's oil-filter to remove contaminations from the pump oil.

Oxford Plasma Technology PlasmaLab 80 Plus RIE/ICP

Anders Liljeborg, Nanostructure Physics, KTH.