Plasma reactor — A complete IC factory ?

Parallel plate (planar) plasma reactors have been demonstrated to be capable of performing all of the material removal processes necessary for fabricating integrated circuits. Coupled with the recognized high quality of plasma deposited dielectric films for masking, insulation, and passivation applications, the "one machine" IC factory becomes an intriguing possibility. In this paper we will trace a typical IC process flow from mask making to final packaging. Real world results and problems will be stressed in connection with cleaning, oxidation, composition, uniformity and step coverage in film deposition, edge definition, selectivity, undercutting and side effects in etching. Process control requirements and the necessity of coupling new process specifications into product design at the earliest stages will be discussed. Speculation on future developments will also be presented.