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Reactive ion etching of selected polymers in O 2 and in CF 4 /O 2
Author(s) -
Hand B.,
Long T.,
Dems B. C.,
Rodriguez F.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1993.070471207
Subject(s) - polystyrene , polymer , methyl methacrylate , polymer chemistry , oxygen , materials science , methacrylate , analytical chemistry (journal) , etching (microfabrication) , styrene , chemistry , organic chemistry , polymerization , copolymer , composite material , layer (electronics)
A series of 17 polymers was etched in the reactive ion‐etching (RIE) mode. The etch rates were monitored using a laser interferometer. The gases used were oxygen alone and a mixture of carbon tetrafluoride with oxygen (8% O 2 ). The polymers fell into three groups: the aromatics (polystyrene and derivatives), the aliphatics (methacrylates and vinyl acetate), and the cellulosics (methyl ether and nitrate). In oxygen with a power density of 0.25 W/cm 2 , the etch rates for the three groups fell in the range of 200–300 nm/min, 350–450 nm/min, and 500–850 nm/min, respectively. The etch rates were also measured at a power density of 0.50 W/cm 2 . The etch rates at the higher‐power density were about 75–80% higher than those at the lower‐power density. The etch rate in the fluoride mixture was about half that in the oxygen, all other parameters being the same. Plasticizers that lower the glass transition temperature of polymers based on vinyl chloride, methyl methacrylate, or styrene do not change the etch rate of the polymers very much. There is a slight increase in the rate for polystyrene and a slight decrease in the rate for poly(methyl methacrylate). All the effects of composition on etching rate can be correlated to a first approximation with the molar fractions of carbon and oxygen in the resist. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.