TRANSFORMER COUPLED PLASMA-ETCHING FOR FPD MANUFACTURING

Improved dry etch processes are required for volume manufacturing of a dvanced flat panel displays (FPDs). Current processes, both wet and dr y, have difficulties producing acceptable cross-panel uniformity, pane l-to-panel uniformity, and sidewall profiles. A planar inductively cou pled plasma system has been developed that yields excellent, reproduci ble etch processes. Initial process development of amorphous silicon, silicon nitride, and indium tin oxide etches on a small R&D system sca led well to a full-size production tool. Electrical tests show that th e plasma source does not cause damage in thin-film transistor (TFT) fa brication.