Abstract
This study investigated dry etching of acrylic in capacitively coupled $SF_6$, $SF_6/O_2$ and $SF_6/CH_4$ plasma under a low vacuum pressure. The process pressure was 100 mTorr and the total gas flow rate was fixed at 10 sccm. The process variables were the RIE chuck power and the plasma gas composition. The RIE chuck power varied in the range of $25{\sim}150\;W$. $SF_6/O_2$ plasma produced higher etch rates of acrylic than pure $SF_6$ and $O_2$ at a fixed total flow rate. 5 sccm $SF_6$/5 sccm $O_2$ provided $0.11{\mu}m$/min and $1.16{\mu}m$/min at 25W and 150W RIE of chuck power, respectively. The results were nearly 2.9 times higher compared to those at pure $SF_6$ plasma etching. Additionally, mixed plasma of $SF_6/CH_4$ reduced the etch rate of acrylic. 5 sccm $SF_6$/5 sccm $CH_4$ plasma resulted in $0.02{\mu}m$/min and $0.07{\mu}m$/min at 25W and 150W RIE of chuck power. The etch selectivity of acrylic to photoresist was higher in $SF_6/O_2$ plasma than in pure $SF_6$ or $SF_6/CH_4$ plasma. The maximum RMS roughness (7.6 nm) of an etched acrylic surface was found to be 50% $O_2$ in $SF_6/O_2$ plasma. Besides the process regime, the RMS roughness of acrylic was approximately $3{\sim}4\;nm$ at different percentages of $O_2$ with a chuck power of 100W RIE in $SF_6/O_2$ plasma etching.
