is the Benchmark:

Process chamber cleaning

In order to achieve the desired high throughput, state-of-the-art semiconductor processes for high quality and high reliability components require in situ chamber cleaning.

Mounted on the processing chamber, the remote plasma source from R3T produces active chemical species that are exceptionally well suited for high efficiency cleaning. Process pressures as low as 0.3 Torr (40Pa) are leading to incomparable good results for cleaning of process chambers with complex geometry.

Stripping of thick and barely removable resists like SU-8

Producers of micromechanical parts - e.g. the watch industry – increasingly use processes, which are based on photolithography and galvanic deposition (so called “LIGA” process). For building up several hundred microns high vertical structures, SU-8 resist is an outstanding material which is based on Epoxy. At the same time however this material has the disadvantage of being unremovable by wet chemicals without attacking the new built up metal structures. Commercially available plasma tools are unable as well to solve the remove problem.

With the R3T STP 2020 stripping tool it is possible to get etch rates of 20 µm/min for the SU-8 independent of hard bake temperature. Using batch mode to strip several 6” wafers simultaneously, rates of 200 µm/h are reached without attacking the metal structures and without damage by overheating. Thus for first time a technique is available which allows the reliable and efficient remove of SU-8 resist and extends strongly the possible fields of applications for SU-8.
As a matter of course all other kind of organic materials as synthetics and adhesives can be removed with high rate; the same with materials containing inorganic fillers.
See also presentation held on the MiNaT 2008 in Stuttgart

Etching of thin Si wafers - Stress Release

After grinding processes the backside of silicon wafers shows some damage leading to less breaking resistance and more wafer bow as a result of higher strength caused by the damage mechanism. Already after a few seconds silicon etch with the remote microwave plasma the bow created by the grinding process disappears. Through the removal of a few microns of silicon a breaking resistance can be reached similar to that of an blanket wafer. Contrary to wet chemical based processes the remote microwave plasma makes it possible to remove the damage zones also from the Kerf of the wafer and to perform the damage etch of thin wafers while they are mounted on sawing frame. To get good uniformity and high etch rate at the same time the fluorine radicals in the SAN 1010 silicon etcher are distributed over the wafer area by rotating beam.

Isotropic Etching

Compared with wet chemical processes, isotropic dry etching is clearly advantageous, especially with respect to process quality, Cost of Ownership, and environmental compatibility. In particular, high etch rates can be achieved with no surface damage of any sort.
Silicon etch rates up to 90µm/min have been achieved with no measurable degradation of the photo resist for steps of up to 400 µm.

Deposition

“Remote Plasma Enhanced CVD” (Remote-PECVD) and “Atomic Layer Deposition” (ALD) processes open totally new possibilities in the deposition of ultra-thin layers. Deposition temperatures as low as 100°C can be realized.
Low temperature polymer deposition and modification are further applications of growing importance in optics and medical technology.
With the same process thin, high-density protective layers can be deposited.

Surface Treatment

Activated nitrogen “nitrogenizes” surfaces to produce a stable diffusion barrier at low temperature.
Activated hydrogen removes natural oxides, also at low temperature.
High value deposition processes, such as SiGe epitaxie, become feasible.
The properties of plastic surfaces can be modified with the aid of radicals. On the one hand hydrophilic surfaces will be created within seconds (contact angle < 5°) allowing the treated surfaces to be printed, glued, or painted. On the other hand hydrophobic surfaces can be created with contact angle > 110°. Both opens up a large field of applications in the chemical and medical industries.
The application of R3T radical generators is environmentally friendly to a high degree:

1. drastically reduced consumption of water and chemicals
    in comparison to wet chemistry
2. nearly complete dissociation of greenhouse gases like
    CF4 and NF3 as a consequence of the high efficiency
3. no waste water