PROJECT TITLE :

Optimization of Reactive Ion Etching of Polycrystalline Diamond for MEMS Applications

ABSTRACT:

It has been found that diamond columns can be fashioned unintentionally in reactive ion etching (RIE) with O2 plasma even while not a precoated metal layer. The experimental results indicate that the existence of those diamond columns prevents the effective removal of polycrystalline diamond (poly-C), also called microcrystalline diamond. A three-step sequential RIE of poly-C skinny film in CF4 (or CF4/Ar), O2, and H2 plasmas is developed using lithographically patterned Al acting as a arduous mask to realize a sleek-etched surface once the removal of poly-C. This etching technique will remove a thick poly-C layer very effectively. For the first time, this letter eliminates RIE-connected harm to underlying substrate (specific to RIE of poly-C) to optimize the technology for single- and multi-material MEMS made from poly-C. [2015-0141]