Abstract: A method is provided for detecting an end point, a material transition or a boundary surface during the etching of a semiconductor element, a zone of the semiconductor element having non-homogeneous load carrier density and/or non-homogeneous load carrier polarity, particularly a p-n junction, which has an electrical voltage applied to it during etching, and an electrical current induced by it in this zone is measured, and reaching of this zone during etching is determined from a change in the electrical current. This method is suitable for the detection of the etching end point in gas phase etching, in particular with the aid of the etching gases ClF3 and/or BrF3, or in the anisotropic plasma etching of silicon substrates. In addition, a method is provided for etching a semiconductor element using a gaseous etching medium, during which the speed of removal of the semiconductor element is set or changed via a setting of the polarity and/or the density of free load carriers in the semiconductor element.

Abstract: A method for producing a microsystem that has, situated on a substrate, a first functional layer that includes a conductive area and a sublayer. Situated on the first functional layer is a second mechanical functional layer, which is first initially applied onto a sacrificial layer situated and structured on the first functional layer. In addition, a layer is situated on the side of the sublayer facing away from the conductive area. The layer constitutes a protective layer on the first functional layer that acts in areas during a sacrificial layer etching process so that during removal of the sacrificial layer no etching of the areas of the first functional layer covered by the protective layer occurs, and that in the region of the areas of the first functional layer implemented without the protective layer the sublayer is removed essentially selectively to the conductive area at the same time as the sacrificial layer.

Abstract: A method is proposed for etching patterns in an etching body (18), in particular cut-outs in a silicon body (18) exactly defined in a lateral manner, using a plasma (14). In this context, a high-frequency-pulsed high-frequency power is at least temporarily coupled into the etching body (18) via an at least temporarily applied high-frequency a.c. voltage. This coupled, high-frequency-pulsed high-frequency power is further modulated at a low frequency, in particular clocked. The proposed method opens a wide process window for varying the etching parameters in the implemented plasma etching process, and is especially suitable for etching patterns in silicon using high mask selectivity and high etching rates for simultaneously minimized charge effects, in particular with respect to notching on the dielectric boundary surface.

Abstract: A device and a method for determining the extent of an at least locally lateral undercut of a structured surface layer on a sacrificial layer. The structured surface layer for this purpose locally has at least one passive electronic component, using which a physical measured quantity can be determined, which is proportional to the extent of the lateral undercut. The method for generating this device proposes, initially on the structured surface layer in a first etching method, to provide the surface layer at least locally with a structuring having trenches and, in a second etching method, proceeding from the trenches, to undertake at least locally a lateral undercut of the structured surface layer. In this context, in the first etching method on the surface layer, locally at least one passive electronic component is additionally delineated out, which in response to a subsequent undercutting of the surface layer is also undercut.

Abstract: A method and device for implementing the method for anisotropically plasma etching a substrate (e.g., silicon body). The device has a chamber and plasma source for generating a high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field and a reaction region for generating a plasma having reactive species, within the chamber, that is generated by the action of the alternating field on etching gas and passivation gas introduced at the same time but spatially separated from it. An arrangement defines at least one first zone acted on by the etching gas and at least one second zone acted on by the passivation gas in the reaction region. The device has a mixing region downstream of the reaction region in which the reactive species generated from the etching gas in the first zone and the reactive species generated from the passivation gas in the second zone are blended before they act on the substrate.

Abstract: A method and a suitable device for carrying out this method is proposed, for etching a substrate (10), especially a silicon element, with the aid of an inductively coupled plasma (14). For this purpose, a high frequency electromagnetic alternating field is generated, which produces an inductively coupled plasma (14) from reactive particles in a reactor (15). In this connection, the inductively coupled plasma (14) comes about by the action of the high frequency electromagnetic alternating field upon a reactive gas. Furthermore, a device, in particular a magnetic field coil (21) is provided which produces a static or timewise varying magnetic field between the substrate (10) and the ICP source (13). For this, the magnetic field is oriented in such a way that its direction is at least approximately or predominantly parallel to the direction defined by the line connecting the substrate (10) and the inductively coupled plasma (14).

Abstract: A holding device including a holding element, on which a substrate is electrostatically fixed, positioned on a substrate electrode. In one configuration, a load body on the substrate electrode presses the holding element onto it, and is connected via a clamping device, which presses the former onto the substrate electrode, with a base, which supports the substrate electrode, the load body and the base being electrically insulated from the substrate electrode. In another configuration, the side of the holding element faces the substrate as an electrically insulating ferroelectric or piezoelectric material. Another configuration includes a device via which a liquid convection medium is feedable into a space formed by the holding element and substrate or is removable from there again. A method for supplying heat or dissipating heat from the back of a substrate to which heat is applied from the front, and which is held by the holding device.

Abstract: Method of avoiding or eliminating deposits in the exhaust area of a vacuum system in which a gas containing depositable constituents in the exhaust area is at least intermittently pumped out of a vacuum chamber that is connected to a vacuum pump via a gas line. A reactive gas that removes deposits from the gas in the vacuum pump and/or units provided downstream therefrom, and/or reduces or eliminates existing deposits in this area is at least intermittently added to the gas directly upstream from or within the vacuum pump. The proposed method is particularly suitable for anisotropic plasma etching of silicon using alternating etching steps and polymerization steps, the vacuum chamber being supplied with a sulfur-containing etching gas during the etching steps and a polymerizing agent-containing gas during the polymerization steps.

Abstract: A micromechanical component and a method for producing the component are provided. The micromechanical component includes a substrate and a micromechanical functional layer of a first material provided over the substrate. The functional layer has a first and second regions, which are connected by a third region of a second material, and at least one of the regions is part of a movable structure, which is suspended over the substrate.

Abstract: A device for manufacturing a capacitive pressure measurement includes an insulated base electrode, a mechanically deflectable counterelectrode composed of a layer made of at least one of a monocrystalline and polycrystalline semiconductor material, a contact arrangement for electrically connecting the electrodes, and at least one semiconductor component, all integrated onto a semiconductor substrate. The connection for the base electrode is formed by an electrically insulated conductive polycrystalline semiconductor layer. The method for manufactured the device includes the step of arranging a conductive polycrystalline semiconductor layer between two insulating layers on the semiconductor substrate for forming a base electrode.

Abstract: A structural element having a region of porous silicon or porous silicon oxide, which was obtained from a porization, starting from an edge area of the region, in at least largely crystalline silicon. Relative to the edge area, the crystalline silicon has a crystal orientation that has an orientation that differs from a <100> orientation or from an orientation that is equivalent for reasons of symmetry. This structural element is suited for use in a mass-flow sensor, in a component for the thermal decoupling of sensor and/or actuator structures, or a gas sensor. Furthermore, methods for setting the thermal conductivity of a region of porous silicon or porous silicon oxide of a structural element are described.

Abstract: A method is proposed for etching structures into an etching body, in particular, recesses which are laterally precisely defined by an etching mask, into a silicon body, using a plasma. In the process, a high-frequency pulsed, low-frequency modulated high-frequency power is coupled at least intermittently into the etching body using a high-frequency a.c. voltage and, in addition, the intensity of the plasma is modulated as a function of time.

Abstract: A device and a method for etching a substrate, in particular a silicon body, by using an inductively coupled plasma. A high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field is generated using an ICP source, and an inductively coupled plasma composed of reactive particles is generated by the action of a high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field on a reactive gas in a reactor. In addition, a static or time-variable magnetic field is generated between the substrate and the ICP source, for which purpose at least two magnetic field coils arranged one above the other are provided. The direction of the resulting magnetic field is also approximately parallel to the direction defined by the tie line connecting the substrate and the inductively coupled plasma.

Abstract: A method and a device suitable for its execution are provided for the anisotropic plasma etching of a substrate, especially a silicon element. The device has a chamber and a plasma source for generating a high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field and a reaction region for generating a plasma having reactive species inside the chamber, the reactive species being created by the action of the alternating field upon an etching gas, and a passivating gas that is especially simultaneously introduced but spatially separated from it. Furthermore, an arrangement is provided, by the use of which, in the reaction region, at least a first zone that has etching gas applied to it, and at least a second zone that has passivating gas applied to it, are defined.

Abstract: Additional variants of the method of etching structures into an etching body, in particular recesses in a silicon body that are laterally defined in a precise manner by an etching mask, using a plasma, is described. In addition, the use of this method in the introduction of structures, in particular trenches having a high aspect ratio, into a dielectric layer or a dielectric base body and in a layer of silicon is described, isotropic underetching and/or isotropic, sacrificial-layer etching, in particular using fluorine radicals or a highly oxidizing fluorine compound such as ClF3, being performed after the production of the structures in at least some areas in the case of the layer made of silicon.

Abstract: A method for producing a microsystem that has, situated on a substrate, a first functional layer that includes a conductive area and a sublayer. Situated on the first functional layer is a second mechanical functional layer, which is first initially applied onto a sacrificial layer situated and structured on the first functional layer. In addition, a layer is situated on the side of the sublayer facing away from the conductive area. The layer constitutes a protective layer on the first functional layer that acts in areas during a sacrificial layer etching process so that during removal of the sacrificial layer no etching of the areas of the first functional layer covered by the protective layer occurs, and that in the region of the areas of the first functional layer implemented without the protective layer the sublayer is removed essentially selectively to the conductive area at the same time as the sacrificial layer.

Abstract: A microstructure component is proposed, in particular an encapsulated micromechanical sensor element, at least one microstructure (18), especially patterned out from a silicon layer (14), being encapsulated by a glass element (51). It is further provided that at least the region of the glass element (51) covering the microstructure (18) is furnished with an electrically conductive coating (50) on its side facing the microstructure (18).

Abstract: A microstructured component having a layered construction may allow implementation of component structures having a layer thickness of more than 50 &mgr;m, e.g., more than 100 &mgr;m. Capping of the component structure may allow vacuum enclosure of the component structure with a hermetically sealed electrical connection. The layered construction of the microstructured component includes a carrier including at least one glass layer, e.g., a Pyrex layer, a component structure, arranged in a silicon layer, which is bonded to the glass layer, and a cap, which is positioned over the component structure and is also bonded to the glass layer.

Abstract: An electrochemical etching cell (1) is proposed for etching an etching body (15) made at least superficially of an etching material. The etching cell (1) has at least one chamber filled with an electrolyte, and is provided with a first electrode (13), which at least superficially has a first electrode material, and with a second electrode (13′) which at least superficially has a second electrode material. Furthermore, the etching body (15) is in contact, at least region-wise, with the electrolyte. In this context, the first electrode material and the second electrode material are selected such that, after the etching, the etching body (15) is not contaminated and/or is not impaired in its properties by the electrode materials. In particular, the electrode materials are the same materials as the etching material. Also proposed is a method for etching an etching body (15) using this etching cell (1), the first and/or the second electrode (13, 13′) being used as a sacrificial electrode.

Abstract: A device and a method capable of being carried out therewith for, preferably, anisotropically etching a substrate (10), in particular, a patterned silicon body, with the assistance of a plasma (14), is proposed. In the process, the plasma (14) is produced by a plasma source (13) to which a high-frequency generator (17) is connected for applying a high-frequency power. Moreover, this high-frequency generator is in communication with a first means which periodically changes the high-frequency power applied to the plasma source (13). Besides, provision is preferably made for a second means which adapts the output impedance of the high-frequency generator (17) to the prevailing impedance of the plasma source (13) which changes as a function of the high-frequency power.