Precise mask alignment to the crystallographic orientation of silicon wafers using wet anisotropic etching

Vangbo, Mattias; Bäcklund, Ylva

doi:10.1088/0960-1317/6/2/011

Cited by 76 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Precise alignment of the cantilever beams to these planes will, therefore, enable lateral cantilevers to be made with a thickness that only depends on the dimensions of the mask because almost no underetching will occur. An advanced method was used to ensure precise alignment to the crystal planes [11]. The crystal plane etch stop also ensures very smooth surfaces, suitable for interferometric deflection detection.…”

Section: Fabricationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The CantiClever: a dedicated probe for magnetic force microscopy

et al. 2002

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Abstract-We present a new cantilever for magnetic-force microscopy (MFM), the CantiClever, which is not derived from atomic-force microscopy (AFM) probes but optimized for MFM. Our design integrates the cantilever and the magnetic tip in a single manufacturing process with the use of silicon micromachining techniques, which allows for batch fabrication of the probes. This manufacturing process enables precise control on all dimensions of the magnetic tip, resulting in a very thin magnetic element with a very high aspect ratio. Using the CantiClever, magnetic features down to 30 nm could be observed in a CAMST reference sample.

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Section: Fabricationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The CantiClever: a dedicated probe for magnetic force microscopy

et al. 2002

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“…By using two photolithography steps, the edges of the windows were aligned along the ͗110͘ direction with an accuracy of 0.05°. 23 After preparation, the wafers were diced into samples of 20 ϫ 20 mm. Different types of electrode were prepared for these experiments.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…13,14,18,19,22,23 V-grooves and inverted pyramids are formed in the case of rectangular and square mask openings, respectively. 1,13,20 During the process, the silicon is etched chemically at open-circuit potential and slow-etching ͑111͒ facets * Electrochemical Society Active Member.…”

Section: Principle Of Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploiting Anisotropy for In Situ Measurement of Silicon Etch Rates in KOH Solution

Philipsen

Smeenk

Ligthart

et al. 2006

Electrochem. Solid-State Lett.

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Anisotropic etching of V-grooves in a masked substrate provides the basis for two simple methods for in situ measurement of etch rates of Si͑100͒. The width of the ͑100͒ facet defining the base of the groove and thus its surface area decreases at a rate which is determined by the etch rate in the ͑100͒ direction. By measuring voltammograms at regular intervals during etching we were able to monitor the change in geometry of the groove. In a complementary approach, in situ optical microscopy was used for determining etch rates in real time. An application of the method is described. Anisotropic etching of silicon is an essential step in device fabrication.1,2 Microelectromechanical systems ͑MEMS͒ and optoelectronics rely on the characteristic forms that result from the differences in etch rate of different crystallographic orientations. [3][4][5] It is therefore essential to be able to measure etch rates accurately and to detect any changes that may occur in these rates during a fabrication process. In addition, it may be necessary to develop a new etchant or to adapt an existing one, e.g., to determine the influence of an additive in a wide concentration range or to investigate the effect of temperature or of a shift in potential of the sample on the dissolution rates.Methods based on the etching of wagon-wheel patterns 6-8 or of semiconductor ͑hemi͒spheres 9-11 have the advantage of yielding dissolution rates for a whole range of orientations in a single experiment. These methods have a number of disadvantages: they are not simple, analysis of the results is cumbersome and, most importantly, the etching conditions generally differ from those used for device fabrication, e.g., sample geometry, hydrodynamics, gas evolution and galvanic interaction between facets may be important in determining etch rate and morphology. 12,13 At the other extreme, one can measure etch rates simply by masking a wafer of a given orientation and, after etching, determining the etched depth with a profilometer. In addition, examination of the cleaved sample with optical microscopy or scanning electron microscopy ͑SEM͒ can give information about etch rates of other orientations ͑via the underetching 14 ͒. Because each etch rate requires a number of separate experiments this approach is tedious, especially if one wishes to screen a wide range of experimental conditions. Glembocki and coworkers adapted this approach by using strips of silicon masked with an oxide layer containing square windows.15 By retracting the sample stepwise from the solution they were able to vary the time that windows were exposed to the etchant and were therefore able to measure a range of etch rates ͑in their case as a function of potential͒ in a single experiment. A disadvantage of this approach is that etching close to the solution/air boundary is important. Conditions near this boundary are obviously not the same as in a typical etching experiment, in particular because gas is being evolved. In addition, quenching of the etching reaction above the solution a...

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“…More details can be found in refs. [15], [16]. Next, long narrow slits of 23 by 1500 are aligned to the revealed planes and lithographically patterned using the steps mentioned above.…”

Section: A Pd-ag Membranes On a Silicon Framementioning

confidence: 99%