Engineering Research Equipment Grant: Reactive-Ion Etching System

弗吉尼亚大学半导体器件实验室将购买反应离子刻蚀系统，以支持亚毫米无线电波长器件技术的持续进步。本实验室研制的肖特基二极管已成功用作频率高达2500千兆赫的射频混频器。在这些频率和更高频率下使用的设备需要的尺寸小于1微米。这样的尺寸只有通过目前的化学“湿”蚀刻方法才能实现困难和不完美。在提高亚毫米波器件的最大工作频率、降低噪声和降低转换损耗方面的进一步进展需要湿法化学蚀刻的替代方案。被广泛认可的可行和必要的替代方案是反应离子(干法)刻蚀。

The Semiconductor Device Laboratory at the University of Virginia will purchase a Reactive-Ion Etching system to support continuing advances in the technology of devices for use at sub-millimeter radio wavelengths. This laboratory has fabricated Schottky diodes which have been used successfully as radio-frequency mixers at frequencies as high as 2500 Gigahertz. Devices for use at these frequencies and beyond require dimensions of less than one micron. Such dimensions are achieved only with difficulty and imperfectly by current methods of chemical "wet" etching. Further advances in increasing maximum operating frequency, reducing noise, and reducing conversion loss in sub-millimeter wave devices require alternatives to wet chemical etching. The widely acknowledged feasible and necessary alternative is Reactive-Ion (Dry) Etching.