durusmail: mems-talk: Etching <100> and <110> wafer in KOH and surface roughness
Etching <100> and <110> wafer in KOH and surface roughness
Etching <100> and <110> wafer in KOH and surface roughness
2002-01-07
Etching <100> and <110> wafer in KOH and surface roughness
Campman96@aol.com
2002-01-06
This reply was intended Onnop.  Many other readers presumed I was talking
about other issues other members were having.

Original reply as Follows:

If you got poor results in etching (110) you either had too much water in
your etch or your wafer was of axis by several degrees.  What is your etch
solution composed of and at what temperature are you etching at?  An off
axis wafer, which are sliced on purpose that way for diffusion control, will
show
what looks like a stair case of many steps.  If the cause was too much water
then you get pits and bumps and even lines.  Let us know which problem you
had and the solution is at hand.

Excellent results can be obtained using KOH to etch silicon, but the presence
of water in the etch changes the etching characteristics to result in
undesirable results. In my production experience in etching several (8 to 10)
mils (0.001") deep it is extremely important that the KOH be of high purity
with very low moisture content.
If the KOH is not from an unopened bottle and all free flowing pellets in the
bottle than it has too much moisture already absorbed and will produce poor
etching results. As the moisture level increases the etch rate for
dislocations and stacking faults increases and the etch becomes less
crystallographic in nature.  Onnop, I hope this helps.

Campman

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