There are two popular etching processes being used to produce patterned sapphire substrate - the dry and wet etching. It is imperative to know the differences between the two so that a manufacturing company is able to determine which between the two is better. To help you with that, I have prepared below some points of comparison:
Dry etching
- the most popular method used by manufacturing companies to etch sapphire substrates and it has a very slow process with a low throughput rate;
- Etching a standard 2-inch wafer can take between 30 and 60 minutes;
- it does not scale effectively. As a wafer size increases, throughput of a dry etcher falls as fewer wafers fit inside the vacuum chamber. And because of that, more expensive plasma etching tools are needed to achieve the same throughput as achieved by smaller wafers;
- dry etching rates range between 50nm and 200nm in a minute (an estimate by some experts);
- it creates bright, efficient LEDs but does so slowly and with limited throughput.
Wet etching
- it has the advantage of being an extremely fast process and it can be carried out in a lot cheaper procedure than dry etching;
- the LEDs that are produced using wet etching process are not as efficient and effective as that of the dry etching process; however, it is very scalable.
- it provides a considerable cost saving than the dry etching;
- in wet etching, a polishing touch-up work is done on the wafers so that light extraction efficiency is increased.
Some equipment used in etching process:
The Accubath Xe-Series -- designed to perform a wet etching process; this etching bath equipment has been proven to be a great help for semiconductor manufacturers as it helps improve the processes that were previously thought to be too slow due to temperature limitations. This equipment is developed by Imtec Acculine.
Hitachi High-tech Silicon Etch System -- this equipment is capable of generating a stable high density plasma at a very low pressure; it is utilized in dry etching based on an ECR (*1) plasma source.
CDE-80N Chemical Dry Etching Equipment -- used chemical dry etching process for thin film in a gaseous state semiconductor process. Damage-free etching process, through perfect separation of the etching unit and plasma generating unit, enables wide use in the damage removal process.
Each of the etching processes discussed above has its own advantages and disadvantages. But, just like any other processes, choose the one you think can improve your bottom-line -- net income.
Dry etching
- the most popular method used by manufacturing companies to etch sapphire substrates and it has a very slow process with a low throughput rate;
- Etching a standard 2-inch wafer can take between 30 and 60 minutes;
- it does not scale effectively. As a wafer size increases, throughput of a dry etcher falls as fewer wafers fit inside the vacuum chamber. And because of that, more expensive plasma etching tools are needed to achieve the same throughput as achieved by smaller wafers;
- dry etching rates range between 50nm and 200nm in a minute (an estimate by some experts);
- it creates bright, efficient LEDs but does so slowly and with limited throughput.
Wet etching
- it has the advantage of being an extremely fast process and it can be carried out in a lot cheaper procedure than dry etching;
- the LEDs that are produced using wet etching process are not as efficient and effective as that of the dry etching process; however, it is very scalable.
- it provides a considerable cost saving than the dry etching;
- in wet etching, a polishing touch-up work is done on the wafers so that light extraction efficiency is increased.
Some equipment used in etching process:
The Accubath Xe-Series -- designed to perform a wet etching process; this etching bath equipment has been proven to be a great help for semiconductor manufacturers as it helps improve the processes that were previously thought to be too slow due to temperature limitations. This equipment is developed by Imtec Acculine.
Hitachi High-tech Silicon Etch System -- this equipment is capable of generating a stable high density plasma at a very low pressure; it is utilized in dry etching based on an ECR (*1) plasma source.
CDE-80N Chemical Dry Etching Equipment -- used chemical dry etching process for thin film in a gaseous state semiconductor process. Damage-free etching process, through perfect separation of the etching unit and plasma generating unit, enables wide use in the damage removal process.
Each of the etching processes discussed above has its own advantages and disadvantages. But, just like any other processes, choose the one you think can improve your bottom-line -- net income.
About the Author:
Paul Drake writes various industry-related topics such as etching sapphire equipment. He leverages his years of work experience in a high tech industry in writing useful resources. To learn more about wet etching process, visit Imtec Acculine official website.
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