Electrochemical Etch-Stop Suitable for MEMS Applications

This paper presents the electrochemical etch-stop characteristics of single-crystal Si(001) wafers in tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide(TMAH):isopropyl alcohol(IPA):pyrazine solutions. The addition of pyrazine to TMAH:IPA solutions increased the etch rate of (100) Si, thus the etching time required by the etch-stop process shortened. The current-voltage(I-V) characteristics of n- and p-type Si in TMAH:IPA:pyrazine solutions were obtained, respectively. Open circuit potential(OCP) and passivation potential(PP) of n- and p-type Si, respectively, were obtained and applied potential was selected between n- and p-type Si PPs. The electrochemical etch-stop method was used to fabricate 801 microdiaphragms of 20 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ thickness on a 5-inch Si wafer. The average thickness of fabricated 801 microdiaphragms on one Si wafer was 20.03 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ and the standard deviation was $\pm$0.26 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. The Si surface of the etch-stopped microdiaphragm was extremely flat with no noticeable taper or nonuniformity.