Resistless photochemical etching of a silicon wafer by UV laser with an H2O2 and HF aqueous solution

A new resistless etching method has been developed for Silicon wafers. This new method uses an aqueous solution consisting of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and hydrogen fluoride (HF) as the activating etchants. A 193 nm ArF excimer laser and a 266 nm fourth harmonic generation Nd: YAG laser were used as the photon sources. Results showed that pattern etching has been achieved without any photoresist film. In the case of the 193 nm laser, the optimal etching appeared at a 1.3 H₂O₂÷HF ratio, where an etch depth of 210 nm was achieved with a fluence of 29 mJ/cm² and shot number of 10000. At the same conditions, the etch depth with H₂O₂ and HF solution was three times of that by using H₂O and HF mixture. In the case of the 266 nm Nd: YAG laser, the optimal etching appeared at twice ratio of H₂O₂/HF, where the etch depth of 420 nm was achieved with a fluence of 12 mJ/cm² and shot number of 30000. Results showed that the etch effect of the 266 nm Nd: YAG laser was more desirable than that of the 193 nm ArF excimer laser.