Abstract
The effect of Inductively-Coupled Plasma (ICP) etching on diamond using chlorine-based plasma has been investigated. The diamond materials studied include type IIa natural diamond, High Pressure and High Temperature (HPHT) diamond and Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) diamond. It was found that argon and chlorine (Ar/Cl 2) ICP plasma etching can improve the smoothness of the diamond surface. By using this method, a minimum root-mean-squared (rms) surface roughness of 0.19 nm has been achieved. To demonstrate optimized Ar/Cl 2 plasma etching, diamond spherical micro-lenses and micro-trenches were fabricated. Compared to argon and oxygen (Ar/O 2) plasma etching, Ar/Cl 2 plasma etching has a low selectivity with respect to the photo-resist mask, which enables an accurate control over the dimensions of the microstructures fabricated. The surface quality and profiles of these micro-lenses and micro-trenches were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and were shown to be better than those fabricated by Ar/O 2 ICP plasma.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
