Robert Boschgmbh

Bernd Kutsch

Franz Laermer

Klaus Breitschwerdt

A method and a device suitable for its execution are provided for the anisotropic plasma etching of a substrate, especially a silicon element. The device has a chamber and a plasma source for generating a high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field and a reaction region for generating a plasma having reactive species inside the chamber, the reactive species being created by the action of the alternating field upon an etching gas, and a passivating gas that is especially simultaneously introduced but spatially separated from it. Furthermore, an arrangement is provided, by the use of which, in the reaction region, at least a first zone that has etching gas applied to it, and at least a second zone that has passivating gas applied to it, are defined. In addition to this, the device has a mixing region downstream from the reaction region, using which, reactive species generated from the etching gas in the first zone and reactive species generated from the passivating gas in the second zone are intermixed with each other before acting upon the substrate.

Device and method for anisotropic plasma etching of a substrate, particularly a silicon element

A method and device for implementing the method for anisotropically plasma etching a substrate (e.g., silicon body). The device has a chamber and plasma source for generating a high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field and a reaction region for generating a plasma having reactive species, within the chamber, that is generated by the action of the alternating field on etching gas and passivation gas introduced at the same time but spatially separated from it. An arrangement defines at least one first zone acted on by the etching gas and at least one second zone acted on by the passivation gas in the reaction region. The device has a mixing region downstream of the reaction region in which the reactive species generated from the etching gas in the first zone and the reactive species generated from the passivation gas in the second zone are blended before they act on the substrate.

Device and method for anisotropic plasma etching of a substrate, a silicon body in particular

Method of avoiding or eliminating deposits in the exhaust area of a vacuum system in which a gas containing depositable constituents in the exhaust area is at least intermittently pumped out of a vacuum chamber that is connected to a vacuum pump via a gas line. A reactive gas that removes deposits from the gas in the vacuum pump and/or units provided downstream therefrom, and/or reduces or eliminates existing deposits in this area is at least intermittently added to the gas directly upstream from or within the vacuum pump. The proposed method is particularly suitable for anisotropic plasma etching of silicon using alternating etching steps and polymerization steps, the vacuum chamber being supplied with a sulfur-containing etching gas during the etching steps and a polymerizing agent-containing gas during the polymerization steps.

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Stuttgart, Germany

Bernd Kutsch