Researchers developing biosensors, microfluidic devices, MEMS structures, and biomedical electronics often require substrates capable of withstanding aggressive dry etching processes while maintaining excellent dimensional stability and surface quality.
Research Application:
An assistant professor specializing in nanoengineering and biological sensor development requested fused silica wafers for electrode sensor fabrication.
The research team used dry etching with evaporated chromium masks to create high-aspect-ratio pillar structures on the wafer surface. The substrates were intended for testing with automatic track coating systems prior to large-scale fabrication.
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Alternative Specification:
Reference #246021 for pricing and specifications.
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Carrier wafers are commonly used during reactive ion etching (RIE), plasma etching, deep reactive ion etching (DRIE), MEMS fabrication, semiconductor processing, and advanced packaging. They provide mechanical support, thermal stability, and improved process uniformity for thin or fragile device wafers.
Customer Request:
A PhD researcher requested both 6 inch sapphire wafers and 6 inch fused silica wafers for use as carrier wafers during dry etching processes.
The wafers required double-side polishing, 150 mm diameter, 0.50 mm thickness, and cleanroom packaging.
Reference #274877 for specifications and pricing.
Single crystal quartz wafers are frequently selected as carrier wafers because of their excellent dimensional stability, thermal resistance, electrical insulation, and chemical durability during plasma processing.
RF Engineering Application:
An RF engineering PhD candidate requested 4 inch single crystal quartz wafers with a thickness of 550 μm for use as reusable carrier wafers during dry etching. The goal was to eliminate repeated SiO₂ deposition on conventional process wafers.
Reference #312749 for pricing and specifications.
Both dry etching and wet etching are used to remove material from semiconductor substrates, but they serve different purposes.
For advanced semiconductor devices, MEMS sensors, photonics, and nanotechnology applications, dry etching is often preferred because it provides better feature control, improved anisotropy, and greater process precision.
Dry etching is a critical semiconductor fabrication process used to remove material from a wafer surface using plasma, reactive gases, or ion bombardment. Unlike wet etching, which relies on liquid chemicals, dry etching offers superior precision, anisotropic profiles, and high aspect ratio structures that are essential for modern microelectronics, MEMS devices, photonics, and advanced semiconductor packaging.
Dry etching is commonly used to fabricate integrated circuits, sensors, microfluidic devices, power electronics, optical components, and nanoscale structures where precise dimensional control is required.
Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) is one of the most widely used dry etching techniques in semiconductor manufacturing. RIE combines chemical reactions with physical ion bombardment to selectively remove material while maintaining excellent profile control.
During the process, reactive gases are ionized within a plasma chamber. The ions are accelerated toward the wafer surface where they chemically react with exposed materials and physically remove reaction byproducts. This combination produces highly directional etching and vertical sidewalls.
Anisotropic etching removes material primarily in one direction, making it possible to create deep trenches, vertical sidewalls, and high-aspect-ratio features. This characteristic is especially important for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), microelectronics, sensors, and nanotechnology applications.
Modern anisotropic dry etching processes often combine plasma chemistry with ion-assisted removal mechanisms to maximize selectivity while minimizing undercutting.
| Etching Method | Process Type | Advantages | Common Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) | Dry Etching | High precision, anisotropic profiles, excellent feature control | MEMS, semiconductor devices, photonics |
| Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) | Dry Etching | High aspect ratio structures, deep trenches | MEMS sensors, microfluidics, TSVs |
| Plasma Etching | Dry Etching | Good uniformity and controllability | Thin film processing, IC fabrication |
| KOH Etching | Wet Etching | Low cost, crystallographic selectivity | MEMS cavities, silicon micromachining |
| Buffered Oxide Etch (BOE) | Wet Etching | Controlled oxide removal | Thermal oxide processing, microfabrication |
While wet etching remains useful for certain applications, dry etching is generally preferred when high-resolution structures and precise feature control are required.
Carrier wafers, also called handling wafers or support wafers, are commonly used during dry etching to provide mechanical stability and process uniformity. They are especially important when processing thin, fragile, small-diameter, or specialty substrates.
Sapphire wafers are widely used as carrier wafers because of their exceptional hardness, chemical resistance, thermal stability, and optical transparency. Sapphire substrates can withstand aggressive plasma environments while maintaining dimensional stability throughout processing.
Fused silica wafers are another popular carrier wafer material for dry etching applications. Their low thermal expansion coefficient, excellent flatness, optical transparency, and resistance to thermal shock make them ideal for precision semiconductor processing.
Dry etching is essential across numerous high-technology industries: