Plasma etching (dry etching) uses ionized gases and RF power to remove material from wafers with high precision. Systems combine vacuum chambers, gas delivery, RF/microwave sources and wafer handling to produce anisotropic or selective etch profiles for semiconductors, MEMS and advanced materials. Tools vary by chamber size, throughput and chemistry (RIE, ICP) and demand tight control of gas flows, RF matching and vacuum cleanliness for repeatable results.
Check chamber condition, electrode and liner wear, RF generator health, vacuum pump hours and oil records, MFC calibration, available process recipes, spare parts availability and maintenance history.
Purge and isolate gas lines, drain or secure oil-filled pumps, remove or secure fragile wafer handling parts, cap ports, protect optics and RF components, and use professional rigging with climate-controlled transport if possible.
Regular chamber cleaning, liner and electrode replacement, vacuum pump service, MFC and pressure sensor calibration, RF matching checks, leak tests and verification of gas purity and delivery lines.