FEATURES OF PLASMA CHEMICAL ETCHING OF LITHIUM TANTALATE SUBSTRATE (LiTaO3)

Abstract

The results of researches of plasma chemical treatment of lithium monocrystalline tantalate (LiTaO3) from gas type, bias voltage (energy of chemically active ions) and from current of additional bias generator are given. A closed-loop electron drift plasma chemical reactor and gas mixtures containing Ar, Ar + ClС4, and Ar + SF6 were used for the experiments. It was found that the etching rate of LiTaO3 for the discharge in the gas mixture Ar + CCl4 is 14 times higher than all other mixtures that were used. It is shown that the proposed idea and approaches of LiTaO3 processing can be effectively applied for the production of optical systems with a minimum core thickness of about 2…3 μm.