Etching

Atomica offers Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE), Reactive Ion Etching and wet etching capabilities, where the process technologies need to be matched to the design requirements.

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Removing materials from the MEMS wafers is equally critical to the ability to deposit materials to shape the materials during fabrication. Atomica provides the precision, tolerance and repeatability necessary to meet our customer’s most stringent demands.

Atomica supports its customers in the design, development, and manufacturing of devices that require superior deep silicon etching and maximum process control for optimum performance. Our engineers use industry-leading DRIE technology to improve throughput and yield in many types of devices including MEMS sensors and mirrors, photonics, microfluidic biochips, fiber blocks, lens arrays, silicon-optical benches and 3D interconnected devices using through-silicon vias (TSVs).

Atomica’s Advanced Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE), Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) and Wet Etching capabilities

Atomica offers both dry (RIE, DRIE, ion milling) and wet etching capabilities, where the process technologies need to be matched to the design requirements. Our Deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) capability allows anisotropic etching of silicon which is useful for etching of close-tolerance comb fingers, vias or holes, and trenches.

Specs:

Deep Reactive Ion Etching:
  • Ultra-smooth vertical walls
  • Better than 50:1 aspect ratio
  • 90° sidewall angle
  • Useful for etching of close-tolerance comb fingers, vias or holes, and trenches
Reactive Ion etching:
  • Silicon, quartz, oxide, nitride, polysilicon, oxynitride, Ti, TiW, Nb
  • Wafer edge protection for KOH/TMAH mask etch layers
  • Deep trench oxide etch (for removal of oxide at bottom of silicon trenches, up to 10:1 aspect ratio)
Wet Etching:
  • Atomica has experience with: Au, Ti, Cu, Cr, Si, SiO2, NiFe, Al2O3, CoNi, NiCo and solder
  • Thickness: from 1 µm up to 50 µm

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Other Capabilities

Photolithography

Learn about Atomica’s photolithography technologies and leading-edge greyscale (3D) lithography.

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Deposition

Discover Atomica’s deposition tools and its wide range of metals and dielectric deposition capabilities.

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Testing

Read about Atomica’s comprehensive testing and metrology capabilities.

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Why Atomica?

Atomica Corp. unleashes the power of Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) to help solve the great problems of our time. Utilizing a uniquely collaborative approach to development and manufacturing, it partners with innovative companies to deliver breakthrough MEMS-based solutions in cloud computing, autonomous vehicles, cell therapy, molecular diagnostics, genomics, 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT), and more. Atomica is the largest MEMS foundry in the USA, serving customers from its 130,000 ft2 manufacturing campus (including a 30,000 ft2 class 100 cleanroom) in Santa Barbara, California. The company is ISO 9001 certified and ITAR registered. Its extensive experience spans the full spectrum of MEMS, including photonics, sensors, microfluidic biochips, and other micro components.

Next Steps

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