Surface Technology Systems Plc

Andrew Duncan McQuarrie

Lee Campbell Boman

An XeF source includes a XeF source chamber having a tray or ampoule for XeF crystals, a reservoir coupled to the XeF source chamber via a valve, a flow controller fed by the reservoir and a valve between the reservoir and the flow controller. Pressure sources are provided respectively to maintain the reservoir and the source chamber at the sublimation pressure of XeF . The arrangement allows for a steady supply of XeF to an etching chamber.

Apparatus for etching a workpiece

In the manufacture of a micromechanical device, a substrate, having a mask thereon, is etched using a flourine-containing etchant gas or vapour in the absence of a plasma through an opening in the mask to a desired depth to form a trench having a side wall and a base in the substrate. A layer of protecting substance is deposited on the exposed surfaces of the substrate and mask, and the protecting substance is then selectively removed from the base. The base is then etched using the fluorine-containing etchant.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Andrew Duncan McQuarrie