A Novel Method for Determining Optimum Etch Times for the One Step Dry Release Proces

P.T. Docker, P.K. Kinnell and M.C. Ward
The University of Birmingham, UK

Keywords: DRIE, Dry release process, STS etching, SOI wafers, Released structures

Abstract:
This paper details a novel method for determining the optimum etch times for releasing structures when using the authors one step dry release process. By using self releasing structures known as waffles the exact point when a device is released can be determined without having to etch numerous chips for different times and sectioning them. This solution allows a worker to determine when a device is released by a simple visual check.

Nanotech 2004 Conference Technical Program Abstract