Principle:
Ion beam etching (IBE) is an advanced micro-nano manufacturing technology that uses high-energy ion beams to remove the surface of materials and achieve fine pattern transfer.
The principle of ion beam etching is to use a high-energy ion beam (usually argon ions) generated by an ion source to hit the surface of the material vertically or at an oblique angle. The high-energy ions collide with the atoms on the surface of the material, causing the atoms to be knocked out and removing the material layer by layer, thereby achieving the purpose of etching. This etching method can be carried out without chemical reaction and is a physical etching process.
Processing capabilities:
Materials: Au (gold), Pt (platinum), Cu (copper), Ta (tantalum), AlN (aluminum nitride), Si (silicon), SiO2 (silicon dioxide) and other thin film materials
Process flow:
1. Preparation: Place the sample to be etched in a vacuum chamber and clean the surface.
2. Mask preparation: Cover the area to be etched with a mask (such as photoresist or metal film) to protect the part that does not need to be etched.
3. Ion beam generation: Start the ion source to generate a high-energy ion beam, usually using argon.
4. Etching process: Control the energy, angle and exposure time of the ion beam to etch the sample.
5. Mask removal: After etching, remove the protective mask to obtain the final pattern structure.
Application scenarios:
1. Semiconductor manufacturing: In integrated circuit manufacturing, it is used to make fine lines and patterns.
2. Optical devices: Used for precision processing of optical components, such as surface treatment of gratings and lenses.
3. Nanotechnology: Make nano-scale structures and devices, such as nanopores and nanowires.
4. Materials science: Used to study the physical and chemical properties of material surfaces and prepare material surfaces with special functions.
Advantages:
1. High precision: High-precision etching at the nanometer level can be achieved.
2. Non-selective etching: Ability to etch various materials evenly without chemical selectivity.
3. Smooth surface: The surface after etching is smooth and the surface roughness is reduced.
4. Isotropic and anisotropic etching: Etching in different directions can be achieved by controlling the angle of the ion beam.
Materials that can be etched:
Metals: gold, silver, copper, aluminum, etc.
Semiconductor materials: silicon (Si), gallium arsenide (GaAs), etc.
Insulating materials: silicon oxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (Si3N4), etc.
Other materials: polymers, ceramics, etc.
Etching accuracy:
The accuracy of ion beam etching mainly depends on the focusing ability of the ion beam, the resolution of the mask and the control of the etching time. Usually, the accuracy can reach 10 nanometers or even higher, and the specific value depends on the actual process parameters and equipment conditions.
OMeda (Shanghai Omedasemi Co.,Ltd) was founded in 2021 by 3 doctors with more than 10 years of experience in nanpfabrication. It currently has 15 employees and has rich experience in nanofabrication (coating, lithography, etching, two-photon printing, bonding) and other processes. We support nanofabrication of 4/6/8-inch wafers.
