Acquisition of Inductively Coupled Plasma Etch Tool for New Microsystems Technologies

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This award from the Major Research Instrumentation program to Arizona State University will be used to acquire an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etcher to support a broad spectrum of well-funded interdisciplinary research programs with a common focus on new integrated microsystems technologies for novel, high payoff applications. The unique performance of this equipment provides a critical tool that will substantially enhance wide bandgap semiconductor and silicon fabrication capabilities, and thereby open up new frontiers in microsystems concepts and applications for active exploration and discovery. The equipment is configured with two independent etch chambers and ICP sources to run a chlorine-based etch process for group III - nitrides, and a "Bosch" fluorine-based process for deep etching of silicon. The dual chamber system will avoid process cross-contamination and enhance overall reliability and robustness of the etching to be performed. Research supported by this equipment falls into one of two technology areas: (i) Wide Bandgap Materials, Devices and Microsystems, and (ii) Si-based Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS). Researchers in interdisciplinary teams from Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Bioengineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Plant Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry will be the principal equipment users. It is anticipate that substantial breakthroughs in each of the target applications will be enabled through the new patterning capability of the ICP etch tool. The equipment will be run as a multi-user facility housed in the class M3.5 cleanroom of the interdisciplinary Center for Solid State Electronics Research (CSSER). Day-to-day operation of the equipment will be overseen by CSSER's Associate Director. The majority of the actual users of the equipment will be post-doctoral, graduate student and undergraduate student researchers. Students will benefit from hands-on training with state-of-the-art fabrication equipment and the exciting, creative environment of interdisciplinary microsystems research. This award from the Major Research Instrumentation program will allow Arizona State University to create a state-of-the-art high density plasma processing facility that will provide unique micropatterning capabilities that cannot otherwise be realized. The new multi-user facility will bring catalyze research collaboration between materials scientists, chemical engineers, electrical engineers, physicists, chemists, and biologists, reflecting the highly interdisciplinary nature of the activities to be undertaken. Through this new capability and new synergies, ASU will contribute to the high technology industrial base by expanding research and education capabilities in the design, synthesis, fabrication, and application of novel microsystems. Research supported by this unique high tech processing equipment will enable advances in interdisciplinary advanced materials research in two high-payoff areas: (1) silicon-based nanostructure science and technology, and (2) wide bandgap semiconductor microsystems. Students and postdocs will benefit from hands-on training with state-of-the-art fabrication equipment and the exciting, creative environment of interdisciplinary microsystems research.