Main features
Multi-functional etching/deposition: Some models like the EIS-220P are equipped with two ion guns, allowing for alternating both etching and deposition processes without removing the sample from the vacuum chamber, helping to maintain a clean environment and process efficiency.
Use of various gases: The machine can use both inert gases (such as Argon, Xenon) and reactive gases (such as Oxygen, CF4) as ion sources, allowing for both physical etching and chemical etching.
Angle of incidence control: Allows for adjustment of the ion beam angle to create structures with sloped sides.
Detailed description
- Technology / Principle: EIS-200ERP operates based on the principle of electron cyclotron resonance (Electron Cyclotron Resonance - ECR) to generate high-density plasmas at ultra-low pressure. Ions (such as Ar⁺, N⁺) are extracted from the plasma chamber through a push grid and accelerated by a high electric field ranging from 20V to 3000V. The high-energy ion beam is perfectly parallel-oriented for physical bombardment to etch the sample surface (ion milling) or bombard material targets to sputter deposit thin films onto the substrate.
- Solution: In nano fabrication and MEMS structures, the biggest bottleneck of conventional plasma etching (RIE) methods is causing significant surface damage due to the uncontrollable ion energy and being limited by the chemical properties of the material. EIS-200ERP thoroughly addresses this challenge by separating the plasma generation area and the sample processing area through the ECR Ion Source. As a result, users can lower the acceleration voltage to 20V for gentle cleaning/etching without damaging the crystal structure, while achieving a much higher degree of anisotropy due to the beam's absolutely parallel orientation.
- Integration / Expansion: The system features a high-purity vacuum chamber structure achieving a final pressure below 3 × 10⁻⁴ Pa thanks to the integration of a powerful Turbo Molecular Pump (TMP). The device is equipped with a flexible sample holder supporting wafer sizes up to 4 inches and a multi-target configuration allowing for continuous material coating changes. Users can additionally integrate gas flow sensors, change the dry pump configuration, or automate the process through Elionix's expandable control software modules.