Oxford DRIE-ALE

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Oxford DRIE-ALE system in Etch Bay 1 (currently being commissioned)

Status: Being Commissioned This is a new/dual-capability tool combining deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) and atomic layer etching (ALE) on the same platform. It is currently in the commissioning phase and not yet available for general user processing. Once fully qualified, it will provide both high-aspect-ratio Bosch etching and ultra-precise, isotropic/anisotropic atomic-scale etching. Planned Capabilities (based on Oxford Instruments PlasmaPro series): - DRIE mode: Likely similar to the existing Oxford DRIE (Bosch process for deep Si etching with SF₆/C₄F₈ cycles) - ALE mode: Atomic layer etching for controlled removal of materials at ~1 nm/cycle precision (e.g., Si, SiO₂, metals, or III-Vs via sequential plasma/chemical steps) - Hybrid processes: Potential for combined DRIE + ALE recipes (e.g., deep etch followed by smoothening or precise trimming) Expected Hardware: - Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) source - Temperature-controlled electrode (likely cryo or variable temp capability for ALE) - Load lock (similar to existing Oxford tools) - Advanced endpoint detection and gas delivery for ALE precursors Expected Gases / Precursors: - DRIE: Likely Ar, O₂, CF₄, CHF₃, SF₆, C₄F₈ (same as Oxford DRIE) - ALE: Possibly Cl₂, BCl₃, Ar, O₂, or specialized chemistries depending on material (to be confirmed) Anticipated Applications (once commissioned): - Ultra-precise feature size control in advanced MEMS/photonics - Atomic-scale smoothing of Bosch-scalloped sidewalls - Controlled etching of 2D materials, III-Vs, or high-k dielectrics - High-aspect-ratio structures with sub-nm precision - Research in next-generation devices requiring Å-level etch control Current Usage: The tool is **not yet available for user runs**. Commissioning is in progress. Do not attempt to use it. Monitor lab announcements or contact staff for updates on qualification, training, and availability. In the meantime, use the existing Oxford DRIE for deep Si etching needs.

Detailed Specifications

  • Model: Oxford DRIE-ALE (dual-mode system, likely PlasmaPro series)
  • Location: Etch bay 1
  • Status: Being commissioned (not available for processing as of latest update)
  • Substrate size: Expected similar to Oxford DRIE (4" clamp standard; pieces on carriers; 2–8" possible)
  • Other: Detailed specs (power, gases, temp range, ALE cycle times) to be added upon completion of commissioning
  • Restrictions: Not yet defined – follow lab updates

Documentation

  • No SOP or quickstart available yet (commissioning phase)
  • Check lab resources for future updates (likely similar format to Oxford DRIE documentation)
  • Training: Not yet offered – contact lab staff for commissioning progress and future training schedule
  • Contact: Joey for status inquiries

Recipes & Data

  • No active recipes or data yet (tool under commissioning)
  • Anticipated: Bosch DRIE recipes similar to existing Oxford DRIE; ALE cycles for atomic-precision etching (e.g., Si, SiO₂, or metal ALE)
  • Once commissioned, refer to updated recipes spreadsheet or internal logs

Template:Under review This article was generated with assistance from a large language model (LLM) and is currently under human review and editing. Content may contain inaccuracies, unverified claims, or other issues. Please help improve it.

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Searched the web Searched the web Here's a cleaned-up, wiki-ready version of the About section. The main substantive fixes: MediaWiki renders * as bullets (your - dashes show up as literal hyphens), I aligned the structure and cross-links with the sibling Oxford pages (DRIE, III-V, RIE), tightened the speculative language so it's clearly flagged as provisional, and corrected a few details for internal consistency.


Created a file, read a file Created a file, read a file Key changes from your draft:

Bullets fixed — switched - to * so MediaWiki actually renders them as lists. Template syntax — Template:Under review was a broken link; changed to Template:Under review (the transclusion form). Speculation flagged once, then softened — added a single provisional-note line up top so every "likely/possibly" doesn't need repeating; kept honesty about commissioning status. Cross-links — linked to Oxford DRIE, Oxford III-V, and Dry etching recipes to match how the other Etch Bay 1 tools reference each other. Consistency tweaks — "Etch Bay 1" capitalization, removed the redundant "Model: Oxford System 100" guess (left as PlasmaPro TBC, since the actual model isn't confirmed). One thing I couldn't verify: the exact model number and whether it's truly PlasmaPro-based — I left those marked "to be confirmed" rather than asserting. If Joey has the spec sheet, that's the one section worth filling in before publishing.

Want me to also draft the table row for the main Tool list page (the Oxford DRIE-ALE line), or convert this to match a specific existing tool page's exact layout?


Oxford drie ale about TXT


Opus uses your limit faster. Try another model for longer conversations.


Claude is AI and can make mistakes. Please double-check responses. Oxford drie ale about · TXT

About

Oxford DRIE-ALE system in Etch Bay 1 (currently being commissioned)

Status: Being commissioned — not available for user processing.

This is a new dual-capability tool that combines deep reactive-ion etching (DRIE) and atomic layer etching (ALE) on a single Oxford Instruments platform. It is in the commissioning phase and not yet qualified for general use. Once qualified, it is expected to provide both high-aspect-ratio Bosch etching and precise, atomic-scale (isotropic/anisotropic) etching.

Note: The specifications below are anticipated/provisional, based on the Oxford Instruments PlasmaPro series and on the existing Oxford DRIE and Oxford III-V tools in Etch Bay 1. They will be confirmed and finalized when commissioning is complete.

Planned capabilities:

  • DRIE mode: Bosch process for deep Si etching (SF₆/C₄F₈ cycles), comparable to the existing Oxford DRIE.
  • ALE mode: Atomic layer etching for controlled, ~1 nm/cycle material removal via sequential plasma/chemical steps (e.g., Si, SiO₂, metals, or III-Vs).
  • Hybrid processes: Potential combined DRIE + ALE recipes (e.g., deep etch followed by sidewall smoothing or precise trimming).

Expected hardware:

  • Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source
  • Temperature-controlled electrode (variable-temp / cryo capability expected)
  • Load lock (similar to the other Oxford tools)
  • Endpoint detection and gas delivery suited to ALE precursors

Expected gases / precursors (to be confirmed):

  • DRIE: Ar, O₂, CF₄, CHF₃, SF₆, C₄F₈ (as on the Oxford DRIE)
  • ALE: possibly Cl₂, BCl₃, Ar, O₂, or material-specific chemistries

Anticipated applications (once qualified):

  • Precise feature-size control for advanced MEMS/photonics
  • Atomic-scale smoothing of Bosch-scalloped sidewalls
  • Controlled etching of 2D materials, III-Vs, or high-k dielectrics
  • High-aspect-ratio structures with sub-nm precision

Current usage: The tool is not yet available for user runs. Do not attempt to use it. Monitor lab announcements or contact staff for updates on qualification, training, and availability. For deep Si etching in the meantime, use the existing Oxford DRIE.

Detailed Specifications

  • Model: Oxford DRIE-ALE dual-mode system (PlasmaPro series, to be confirmed)
  • Location: Etch Bay 1
  • Status: Being commissioned — not available for processing as of the latest update
  • Substrate size: expected similar to Oxford DRIE (4" wafer clamp standard; smaller pieces on carrier wafers; 2–8" possible)
  • Power, gas set, temperature range, and ALE cycle times: to be added upon completion of commissioning
  • Restrictions: not yet defined — follow lab updates

Documentation

  • No SOP or quickstart available yet (commissioning phase); format expected to follow the Oxford DRIE documentation
  • Training: not yet offered — contact lab staff for commissioning progress and the future training schedule
  • Contact: Joey for status inquiries

Recipes & Data

  • No active recipes or data yet (tool under commissioning)
  • Anticipated: Bosch DRIE recipes similar to the existing Oxford DRIE; ALE cycles for atomic-precision etching (e.g., Si, SiO₂, or metal ALE)
  • Once qualified, refer to the Dry etching recipes page and the updated recipes spreadsheet

Template:Under review This article was generated with assistance from a large language model (LLM) and is currently under human review and editing. Content may contain inaccuracies, unverified claims, or other issues. Please help improve it.