Patent · US Active

Selective etching of oxides from substrates

US7431853B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
2References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 8, 2006
Grant dateOct 7, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 17, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB81C1/00928
  • WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method and system for release etching a micro-electrical-mechanical-systems (MEMS) device from a substrate. In one aspect, the invention is a method comprising (a) supporting at least one substrate having a sacrificial oxide and a non-sacrificial material in a process chamber at a pressure and at a temperature; (b) introducing a gas phase mixture comprising a halide-containing species and an alcohol vapor selected from a group consisting of ethanol, 1-propanol, and an aliphatic alcohol having four carbon groups into the process chamber, the gas phase mixture having a volumetric ratio of the halide-containing species to the alcohol vapor of approximately 2 or less; and (c) etching the sacrificial oxide with the gas phase mixture. In another aspect, the invention is a system for carrying out the method.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.