Advanced silicon etching techniques based on deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) for silicon harms and 3D micro- and nano-structures

Different processes involving an Inductively Coupled Plasma reactor are presented either for Deep Reactive Ion Etching or for isotropic etching of silicon. On one hand, High Aspect Ratio Micro-Structures with aspect ratio up to 107 were obtained on sub-micron trenches. Application to photonic MEMS is presented. Isotropic etching is also used either alone or in combination with anisotropic etching to realize various 3D shapes.