• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.481-486
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• 1997

This paper describes the anisotropic etching characteristics of Si in acqueous TMAH/IPA solutions. The etch rates of (100) oriented Si crystal planes decrease with increasing TMAH concentration and IPA concentration. Etchant concentration and etch temperature have a large effect on hillock density. Hillock density strongly increase with lower TMAH concentration and higher etch temperature. The etched (100) planes are covered by pyramidal-shaped hillocks below TMAH 15 wt.%, but very smooth surface is obtained TMAH 25 wt.%. The addition of IPA to TMAH solution leads to smoother surfaces of sidewalls etched planes. Undercutting ratio of pure TMAH solution is much higher than KOH. But, addition of IPA to TMAh the underrcutting ratio reduces by a factor of 3∼4. Therefore, acqueous TMAH/IPA solution is able to use as anisotropic etchant of Si because of full compability with IC fabrication process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1997.04a
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• pp.23-26
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• 1997

This work presents the TMAH/IPA anisotropic etching characteristics with addition of Pyrazine. (100) Si etching rate of 0.747 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$/min at 8$0^{\circ}C$ was obtained using TMAH 25 wt.% / IPA 17 vol.% / pyrazine 0.1 g. The etching rate of (100) Si is increased about 52% compare to pure TMAH 25 wt.%. But etching rate of (100) Si is decreased with increasing Pyrazine additive. Activation energy of TMAH/IPA/pyrazine is much lower than TMAH and TMAH/IPA solutions. Addition of Pyrazine does not effect on surface flatness and decreases undercutting ratio about 20 %. Therefore, TMAH/IPA/pyrazine is an attractive anisotropic etchant because of alkaline-ion free.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.9-14
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• 2004

In this study, Si anisotropic etching characteristics of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH)/ ammonium persulfate(AP)/isopropyl alcohol(IPA) solutions were investigated to realize the optimum structure of a diaphragm for the piezoresistive pressure sensor application. Due to its low toxicity and its high compatibility with the CMOS processing, TMAH was used as Si anisotropic etchants. The variations of Si etch rate on the etching temperature, TMAH concentration, and etching time were obtained. With increasing the etching temperature and decreasing TMAH concentrations, the Si etch rate is increased while a significant non-unifonnity exists on the etched surface because of formation of hillocks on the (100) surface. The addition of IPA to TMAH solution leads to smoother etched surfaces but, makes the Si etch rate lower. However, with the addition of AP to TMAH solution, the Si etch rate is increased and an improvement in flatness on the etching front is observed. The Si etch rate is also maximized with increasing the number of addition of AP to TMAH solution per one hour. The Si square membranes of 20${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ thickness and l00-400${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ one-side length were fabricated successfully by applying optimum Si etching conditions of TMAH/AP solutions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1997.11a
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• pp.397-400
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• 1997

This paper presentes the characteristics of Si anisotropic etching and electrochemical etch-stop in aqueous TMAH/IPA/pyrazine solution. (100) Si etching rate of 0.747 $\mu\textrm{m}$/min which faster 86% than TMAH 25 wt.%/IPA 17 vol.% solution was obtained using best etching condition at TMAH 25 wt.%/IPA 17 vol.%/pyrazine 0.1 g and the etching rate of (100) Si was decreased with more additive quantity of pyrazine. I-V curve of p-type Si in TMAH/IPA/pyrazine was obtained. OCP(Open Circuit Potential) and PP(Passivation Potential) were -2 V and -0.9 V, respectively. Si diaphragms were obtained by electrochemical etch-stop in aqueous TMAH/IPA/pyrazine solution.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1996.11a
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• pp.334-337
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• 1996

Si anisotropic etching is a key technology for micromachining. The main advantages of tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH)-based solution are their full compatibility with IC process. In this work the anisotropic etching of single crystal Si in a TMAH (($CH_3$)$_4$NOH) based solution was studied. The influence of the addition of IPA to TMAH solution on their etching characteristics was also presented. The crystal planes bounding the etch front and their etch rates were determined as a function of temperature, crystal orientation, and etchant concentration. The etch rates of (100) oriented Si crystal planes decreased linearly with increasing the IPA concentration, The etched (100) planes were covered by Pyramidal-shaped hillocks below 15 wt.%, but very smooth surfaces were obtained above 20 wt.%. The addition of IPA to TMAH solution leads to smoother surfaces of sidewalls etched planes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2000.04b
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• pp.112-116
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• 2000

This paper presents anisotropic ethcing characteristics of single-crystal silicon in tetramethylammonium hydroxide(TMAH):isopropyl alcohol(IPA) solutions containing pyrazine. With the addition of IPA to TMAH solutions, etching characteristics are exhibited that indicate an improvement in flatness on the etching front and a reduction in undercutting, but the etch rate on (100) silicon is decreased. The (100) silicon etch rate is improved by the addition of pyrazine. An etch rate on (100) silicon of $0.8\;{\mu}m/min$, which is faster by 13 % than a 20 wt.% solution of pure TMAH, is obtained using 20 wt.% TMAH:0.5 g/100 ml pyrazine solutions, but the etch rate on (100) silicon is decreased if more pyrazine is added. With the addition of pyrazine to a 25 wt.% TMAH solution, variations in flatness on the etching front were not observed and the undercutting ratio was reduced by 30 ~ 50 %.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2000.04b
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• pp.147-151
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• 2000

This paper presents the electrochemical etch-stop characteristics of single-crystal silicon in a tetramethyl ammonium hyciroxide(TMAH):isopropyl alcohol(IPA):pyrazine solution. Addition of pyrazine to a TMAH:IPA etchant increases the etch-rate of (100) silicon, thus the elapsed time for etch-stop was shortened. The current-voltage(I-V) characteristics of n- and p-type silicon in a TMAH:IPA:pyrazine solution were obtained, respectively. Open circuit potential(OCP) and passivation potential(PP) of n- and p-type silicon, respectively, were obtained and applied potential was selected between n- and p-type silicon PP. The electrochemical etch-stop is applied to the fabrication of 801 microdiaphragms having $20\;{\mu}m$ thickness on a 5-inch silicon wafer. The averge thicknesses of 801 microdiaphragms fabricated on the one wafer were $20.03\;{\mu}m$ and standard deviation was ${\pm}0.26{\mu}m$. The silicon surface of the etch-stopped microdiaphragm was extremely flat without noticeable taper or other nonuniformities. The benefits of the electrochemical etch-stop in a TMAH:IPA:pyrazine solution become apparent when reproducibility in the microdiaphragm thickness for mass production is considered. These results indicate that the electrochemical etch-stop in a TMAH:IPA:pyrazine solution provides a powerful and versatile alternative process for fabricating high-yield silicon microdiaphragms.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.21-25
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• 2001

This paper presents the effect of pyrazine on tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH):isopropyl alcohol (IPA) single-crystal silicon anisotropic etching properties. With the addition of IPA to TMAH solutions, etching characteristics are exhibited an improvement in flatness on the etching front and a reduction in undercutting, but the etch rate on (100) silicon is decreased. The (100) silicon etch rate is improved by the addition of pyrazine. An etch rate on (100) silicon of 0.8 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$/min, which is faster by 13% than a 20 wt.% solution of pure TMAH, is obtained using 20 wt.% TMAH: 0.5 g/100 ml pyrazine solutions, but the etch rate on (100) silicon is decreased when more pyrazine is added. With the addition of pyrazine to a 25 wt.% TMAH solution, variations in flatness on the etching front are not observed and the undercutting ratio is reduced by 30~50%. These results indicate that anisotropic etching technology using TMAH:IPA:pyrazine solutions provides a powerful and versatile method for realizing of microelectromechanical systems.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2000.05b
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• pp.7-12
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• 2000

This paper presents the electrochemical etch-stop characteristics of single-crystal silicon in a tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide(TMAH):isopropyl alcohol(IPA):pyrazine solution. Addition of pyrazine to a TMAH:IPA etchant increases the etch-rate of (100) silicon, thus the elapsed time for etch-stop was shortened. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of n- and p-type silicon in a TMAH:IPA:pyrazine solution were obtained, respectively. Open circuit potential(OCP) and passivation potential(PP) of n- and p-type silicon, respectively, were obtained and applied potential was selected between n- and p-type silicon PP. The electrochemical etch-stop is applied to the fabrication of 801 microdiaphragms having $20{\mu}m$ thickness on a 5-inch silicon wafer. The averge thicknesses of 801 microdiaphragms fabricated on the one wafer were $20.03{\mu}m$ and standard deviation was ${\pm}0.26{\mu}m$. The silicon surface of the etch-stopped microdiaphragm was extremely flat without noticeable taper or other nonuniformities. The benefits of the electrochemical etch-stop in a TMAH:IPA:pyrazine solution become apparent when reproducibility in the microdiaphragm thickness for mass production is considered. These results indicate that the electrochemical etch-stop in a TMAH:IPA:pyrazine solution provides a powerful and versatile alternative process for fabricating high-yield silicon microdiaphragms.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1998.06a
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• pp.423-426
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• 1998

Piezoresistive pressure sensors have fabricated using electrochemical etch-stop technique. Si diaphragm having thickness of n-epi. layer was fabricated and used to detect pressure range from 0 to 1 kg/$\textrm{cm}^2$. Piezoresistors were diffused 3${\times}$10$\^$18/ cm$\^$-3/ and placed at diaphragm edge for maximum pressure detection. The characteristics of electrochemical etch-stop in TMAH/lPA/pyrazine solution were also discussed. I-V curves of n and p-type Si in TMAH/lPA/pyrazine solution were obtained. Etching rate is highest at optimum etching condition, TMAH 25wt.%/IPA 17vo1.%/pyrazine 0.1/100m1, thus the elapsed time of etch-stop was reduced.