Simulation of Anisotropic Chemical Etching of Single Crystalline Silicon using Cellular-Automata

Kakinaga, T.; Tabata, Osamu; Baba, Noriaki; Isono, Yoshitada; Korvink, Jan G.; Ehrmann, Klaus

doi:10.1541/ieejsmas.124.7

Cited by 11 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…Some works [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] studying the reaction mechanisms of wet chemical etching have produced some interesting results, and some reasonable physical points have been included for the anisotropic etching models [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] based on these assumptions of etching mechanisms. These assumptions and models can be used to qualitatively explain some etching phenomena; they, however, are not yet accurately covering their exact mechanisms during silicon anisotropic etching processes.…”

Section: The Novel 3d Continuous Ca Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The anisotropic etching processes can be greatly improved and optimized if efficient and accurate simulation tools are used to predict the performance. Over the past 20 years, a variety of 3D anisotropic etching simulators have been developed, generally based on geometric models [3][4][5][6][7] or atomistic models [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. In the geometric models, the resultant 3D profiles corresponding to different etching times are determined by geometric rules with the silicon substrate is treated as a continuous entity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, the atomistic models exhibit high efficiency and accuracy when handling arbitrarily complex mask shapes and merging 3D etching profiles. The atomistic models are generally divided into two classes: cellular automaton (CA) models [8][9][10][11][12] and Monte Carlo models [13][14][15][16]. Over the past 10 years, anisotropic etching simulations have been investigated using some atomistic models; however, the current atomistic models have their own disadvantages.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A cellular automaton-based simulator for silicon anisotropic etching processes considering high index planes

Zhou

Huang

et al. 2007

J. Micromech. Microeng.

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This paper presents a novel 3D continuous cellular automaton (CA) model with high index planes such as (2 1 1), (3 1 1), (3 3 1) and (4 1 1) efficiently incorporated. A dynamic algorithm has also been developed to speed up the simulation process and reduce the memory usage. A 3D silicon anisotropic etching simulator, SEAES, has been implemented based on the 3D continuous CA model and the dynamic algorithm. The simulation results by SEAES have been found to be in good agreement with the experimental results, and the arbitrarily complex mask shapes and the merging of 3D etching profiles can be both efficiently and accurately handled. This is identified to be useful for the research of anisotropic etching technologies and the development of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) design.

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Section: The Novel 3d Continuous Ca Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A cellular automaton-based simulator for silicon anisotropic etching processes considering high index planes

Zhou

Huang

et al. 2007

J. Micromech. Microeng.

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“…[1][2][3][4] Various geometric models [5][6][7][8][9][10] and atomistic models [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] have been presented for silicon anisotropic etching simulations (SAES) to optimize the anisotropic etching processes and improve the efficiency of the MEMS design. [1][2][3][4] Various geometric models [5][6][7][8][9][10] and atomistic models [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] have been presented for silicon anisotropic etching simulations (SAES) to optimize the anisotropic etching processes and improve the efficiency of the MEMS design.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Step flow model in continuous cellular automata method for simulation of anisotropic etching of silicon

Rezvankhah

Shayan

Merati

et al. 2013

J. Micro/Nanolith. MEMS MOEMS

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A continuous cellular automaton (CCA) is presented for the simulation of anisotropic wet chemical etching in the fabrication of microstructures. Based on the step-flow model, the surface atoms are divided into categories according to the atom configurations on different crystal planes. An analytical solution for the dependence of the etch rate on orientation is derived, and the CCA approach makes a direct conversion of experimental macroscopic rates into calibrated microscopic parameters for realistic and reliable simulations. The presented model has been extended to a simulation system based on a CCA method. Linear search and variable time stepping are used to simulate a silicon wafer in various etching condition and mask shapes. The simulation results agree well with the experiments. This improved CCA makes possible for the realization of accurate simulations of anisotropic etching in engineering applications. Downloaded From: http://nanolithography.spiedigitallibrary.org/ on 05/16/2015 Terms of Use: http://spiedl.org/terms J. Micro/Nanolith. MEMS MOEMS 023004-7 Apr-Jun 2013/Vol. 12(2) Rezvankhah et al.: Step flow model in continuous cellular automata method. . . Downloaded From: http://nanolithography.spiedigitallibrary.org/ on 05/16/2015 Terms of Use: http://spiedl.org/terms

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“…

There have been a number of researches focusing on the simulation of silicon anisotropic wet etching (Kakinaga et al 2004;Zhou et al 2007Zhou et al , 2009). All the simulation results have contributed to improving and optimizing the practical process.

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confidence: 99%

Three-dimensional simulation of surface topography evolution in the Bosch process by a level set method

Zhou

et al. 2014

Microsyst Technol

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There have been a number of researches focusing on the simulation of silicon anisotropic wet etching (Kakinaga et al. 2004;Zhou et al. 2007Zhou et al. , 2009). All the simulation results have contributed to improving and optimizing the practical process. However, the ICP process itself has a vast number of process variables as pressure, gas flow rates, and input power that influence the process result (Läermer and Schilp 1994). Modeling of the ICP process is much more difficult than that of silicon anisotropic wet etching. The Bosch process consists of multiple cycles of alternating etching and deposition steps, advancing the trenches formed in small increments until the expected aspect ratio is reached. Each phase lasts several seconds. An attempt has been made to model the Bosch process (Zhang et al. 2005;Chen et al. 2013;Zhou et al. 2004; Radjenovic and Radmilovic-Radjenovic 2012; Ertl and Selberherr 2010). A two-dimensional (2-D) simulator by using a string-cell hybrid method for tracking surface evolution with a particle transport model was developed (Zhou et al. 2004), which is suitable for simulations in geometries with translational symmetry in one direction. 3-D simulations of the Bosch process have been reported recently (Radjenovic and Radmilovic-Radjenovic 2012; Ertl and Selberherr 2010). A simplified 3-D model has been developed that uses the etching rates of silicon and polymer as input parameters (Radjenovic and Radmilovic-Radjenovic 2012), which significantly reduces computational time while it is incapable of simulating several phenomena such as the lag effect (Gottscho et al. 1992). A Monte Carlo method was used to calculate local particle fluxes and etching and deposition rates (Ertl and Selberherr 2010), which incorporates higher order re-emissions of particles, but demands long computational time and memory consumption. Based on the particle transport model (Zhou et al. 2004) and the level set method (Osher and Sethian 1988; Sethian and Adalsteinsson 1997), Abstract A deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) process (Bosch process) is used extensively in the fabrication of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Modeling and simulation studies have helped improve our understanding and process design. The Bosch process consists of multiple cycles of alternating etching and deposition steps. Based on a narrow band level set method, by integrating etching simulation and deposition simulation modules, a simulation system is proposed for three-dimensional (3-D) simulation of the Bosch process with arbitrarily complex mask shapes. To verify the simulation system, a series of simulations and experiments have been performed. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experiments. The method may be used to optimize the practical Bosch process and to design and control the profile of high-aspect ratio microstructures.

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Simulation of Anisotropic Chemical Etching of Single Crystalline Silicon using Cellular-Automata

Cited by 11 publications

References 11 publications

A cellular automaton-based simulator for silicon anisotropic etching processes considering high index planes

A cellular automaton-based simulator for silicon anisotropic etching processes considering high index planes

Step flow model in continuous cellular automata method for simulation of anisotropic etching of silicon

Three-dimensional simulation of surface topography evolution in the Bosch process by a level set method

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