Convex corner undercutting of {100} silicon in anisotropic KOH etching: The new step-flow model of 3-D structuring and first simulation results

Henning Schröder; Ernst Obermeier; Anton Horn; Gerhard K.M. Wachutka

doi:10.1109/84.911096

Convex corner undercutting of {100} silicon in anisotropic KOH etching: The new step-flow model of 3-D structuring and first simulation results

Henning Schröder, Ernst Obermeier, Anton Horn, Gerhard K.M. Wachutka

Computation, Information and Technology

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Abstract

In this paper, the mechanism of convex corner (CC) undercutting of Si_{100} in pure aqueous KOH solutions is revisited by proposing the step-flow model of 3-D structuring as a proper description of the observed phenomena. The basic idea is to conceive the Si_{100} anisotropic etching process, on the atomic scale, as a "peeling" process of terraced {111} planes at (110) oriented steps to understand also the arising shape in Si_{100} etching. On the basis of our new model, we are able to predict the microscopic three-dimensional (3-D) structure of the characteristic CC undercutting without any compensation etchmask structures. Furthermore, the theoretical description has been implemented in a new 3-D simulation tool. Its ability to calculate the shape of simple beam structures of different orientation is experimentally shown.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	88-97
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems
Volume	10
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/84.911096
State	Published - Mar 2001

Keywords

Anisotropic wet etching
KOH
Silicon
Simulation

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10.1109/84.911096

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title = "Convex corner undercutting of \{100\} silicon in anisotropic KOH etching: The new step-flow model of 3-D structuring and first simulation results",

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T2 - The new step-flow model of 3-D structuring and first simulation results

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AU - Horn, Anton

AU - Wachutka, Gerhard K.M.

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AB - In this paper, the mechanism of convex corner (CC) undercutting of Si{100} in pure aqueous KOH solutions is revisited by proposing the step-flow model of 3-D structuring as a proper description of the observed phenomena. The basic idea is to conceive the Si{100} anisotropic etching process, on the atomic scale, as a "peeling" process of terraced {111} planes at (110) oriented steps to understand also the arising shape in Si{100} etching. On the basis of our new model, we are able to predict the microscopic three-dimensional (3-D) structure of the characteristic CC undercutting without any compensation etchmask structures. Furthermore, the theoretical description has been implemented in a new 3-D simulation tool. Its ability to calculate the shape of simple beam structures of different orientation is experimentally shown.

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Convex corner undercutting of {100} silicon in anisotropic KOH etching: The new step-flow model of 3-D structuring and first simulation results

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Keywords

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