Imagine carving tiny, precise patterns into silicon or glass, but instead of using harsh, toxic acids that harm the planet, you use a clean plasma 'sandblaster'. It's like switching from a chemical paint stripper to a high-tech laser cleaner. This method removes the need for dangerous halogens while using less electricity to get the job done.
Current semiconductor etching relies on halogenated compounds that are environmentally harmful and energy-intensive. This creates regulatory risks and high waste-management costs for chip and glass component manufacturers.
The project is developing halogen-free plasma etching processes and a data-based methodology for life cycle analysis to quantify carbon footprints.
If you are a chip manufacturer dealing with high costs of hazardous waste disposal from halogenated gases — this project developed halogen-free etching processes that reduce the environmental footprint of production. This allows for cleaner manufacturing while maintaining high precision for chip components.
If you are a microfluidics developer dealing with the need for precise glass etching without toxic residues — this project developed sustainable etching routes for glass. This ensures a cleaner production process for lab-on-a-chip devices.
If you are a MEMS producer dealing with high energy bills and strict chemical regulations — this project developed a sustainability-driven process development scheme. This helps lower energy consumption and eliminates harmful halogenated compounds from the line.
Based on available project data, the project aims to maintain cost-effectiveness while reducing the environmental footprint and high energy consumption of established plasma etching processes.
The project involves modifying state-of-the-art plasma etching machines and includes 3 industrial partners to ensure the processes are efficient in terms of processing speed and manufacturability.
The consortium includes Tinexta Group, which is specifically tasked with IP-management and dissemination for the project results.
Yes, the primary goal is to eliminate the use of halogenated compounds and provide a model-based life cycle analysis to quantify the carbon footprint.
The project period runs from 2024-09-01 to 2028-08-31, suggesting that final results will be available by late 2028.
The consortium is well-balanced for technology transfer, featuring a 43% industry ratio with 3 industrial partners and 2 SMEs. It combines academic research from 3 universities with specialized technical expertise from Fraunhofer ENAS and companies like Lionix and PlasmaSolve, ensuring that the theoretical modeling of etchants is paired with practical machine modification.
Contact the Technical University of Chemnitz (TUC) in Germany.
Contact us to connect with the HaloFreeEtch consortium for early adoption of sustainable etching.
