Reactive ion etching investigation for quartz and lithium niobate

Keywords

Reactive ion etching (RIE), C2F6 (Freon 116) plasma chemistry, Etch rate optimization for quartz, Surface morphology and roughness of etched substrates, Base-plate material effects (aluminum, quartz, graphite) in RIE

Abstract

Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) is used to etch single crystal quartz, lithium niobate and amorphous silicon dioxide. In this dry etching process, Freon 116 (C2F6) gas was used to etch a groove in the three materials. Various etching techniques, plasma chemistry, fabrication processes and experimental procedures will be addressed in this study. Data will be presented showing the effect of various base plates such as aluminum, quartz, and graphite within the RIE chamber. Etch rates and surface quality will be determined and compared for each plate type. Parameters such as pressure, power, flow and time will be varied to determine the optimal conditions for etching quartz to achieve the highest etch rate. This research is being conducted to increase the etch rate and optimize the surf ace quality ofthe etched quartz. An accurate determination ofetch rates and surf ace characteristics produced by RIE will provide valuable information for future use 1n fabricating devices with grooved structures.

Notes

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Graduation Date

1991

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Malocha, Donald

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Engineering

Department

Electrical Engineering

Degree Program

Electrical Engineering

Format

PDF

Pages

79 pages

Language

English

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Identifier

DP0029067

Subjects

Dissertations; Academic -- Engineering; Engineering -- Dissertations; Academic; Plasma etching--Experiments; Lithium niobate; Crystals--Etching; Plasma (Ionized gases)--Research--Evaluation; Etching reagents

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