Lab IB: Photoresist Application and Ashing

Your team will be divided into two groups for this experiment. One group will be applying photresist with the spinner and the other will be ashing it away using the plasma etcher.  Resist thickness will be measured by ellipsometry and profilmetry.

  1. Using pieces of silicon provided apply photoresist as instructed in the photolithography procedure. Investigate the influence of spin speed on resist thickness and uniformity in the range of 2000 - 5000 rpm. * IMPORTANT* You will not be exposing wafers in this experiment. Instead of performing the softbake for 45 seconds. Extend the time to 90 seconds. At this point the wafer is ready for characterization and stripping.
  2. Attemp to characterize the  resist thickness using ellipsometry.
  3. Ash the photresist using an oxygen plasma.  Use the plasma etcher in manual mode as described in the etching procedures. Investigate the influence of plasma power between 200 - 600 W on etch rate and uniformity.  Oxygen will be the only gas used and it will be supplied through Gas Line #2  To give us the most complete picture each group will use a pressure:

    Group 1:  P = 700 mTorr; Flow = 100%

    Group 2:  P = 550 mTorr; Flow = 80%

    Group 3:  P = 400 mTorr; Flow = 60%

     

  4. During some of your etches cover 1/2 the sample with a glass slide. Characterize the step height using the profilometer.