Process for the fabrication of a structural and optical element
AssigneeBalzers Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsHelmut Rudigier, Johannes Edlinger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for the fabrication of a structural element, in particular an optical element comprises a carrier substrate as well as a layer system, with at least one dielectric layer stepped with respect to its thickness in at least one region opposite at least one second region. The dielectric layer is of the type MeO.sub.x and is applied onto a base, where Me is a metal whose atomic mass is at least 44, and x is selected so that the coefficient of absorption of the layer material at light of wavelength .lambda.=308 nm is k.sub.308 .ltoreq.0.01. The layer is built up through reactive etching by means of an activated gas for the step formation of the thickness. Other related processes and examples of the elements themselves are also disclosed.
Claims37
Process for controlling a reactive etching process of a stack of layers with at least one first layer of high refractive index material and, above it, a second layer of low refractive index material, the first layer being MeO.sub.x Me being a metal whose atomic mass is at least 44, x being selected so that the coefficient of absorption k of the layer material at light of wavelength .lambda.=308 nm is k.sub.308 .ltoreq.0.01, the second layer being SiO.sub.2, the process comprising:
- etching the second layer using a gas without a chlorine fraction, the point at which the surface of the first layer is reached being detected and subsequent using another gas which has a chlorine fraction, for further etching.
A process for fabrication of a mask for UV-laser ablation in a semiconductor technique, comprising the steps of:
- applying a dielectric layer of HfO.sub.2 onto a base of a substrate, so that the coefficient of absorption k of said dielectric layer material at light with a wave-length .lambda.=308 nm is
- k.sub.308 .ltoreq.0.01
- and mask patterning said dielectric layer by reactive plasma etching.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.