Authorized Materials

Summary of material constraints

Lab members wishing to introduce new materials into this system must first obtain authorization from staff. New material requests must be initiated by submitting a Process Review Request form.

Non compliance will result in loss of member privileges

Authorized substrates

  • Silicon
  • NOTE: This tool is to be used STRICTLY for etching silicon. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Authorized carrier wafers

  • Silicon coated with baked photoresist
  • Silicon with thermal or PECVD oxide
  • Quartz or fused silica

Authorized Films

  • all types of positive and negative optical and electron-beam photoresists (PMMA, ZEP, HSQ, Polystyrene, SU-8, KMPR)
  • Silicon oxide
  • Silicon nitride
  • Aluminum oxide
  • Chromium oxide
  • Titanium dioxide
  • Kapton tape (to cover defects, not on the whole wafer)
  • if any other materials are present on your samples, CONTACT STAFF BEFORE PROCEEDING

PROHIBITED Films

Any material not specifically listed above is NOT ALLOWED in this system since the risk of chamber contamination has been deemed to be too high.

  • Any film not specifically authorized above is NOT PERMITTED (minor exception below) 

Films which may be present but which must be fully masked (covered/encapsulated)

  • Thermal paste and Fomblin oil adhesives
  • Any material that produces non-volatile by-product with fluorine plasma must be covered:noble metals (Au, Pt, etc), magnetic metals (Ni,etc)