Oxford Instruments
PlasmaPro100
Oxford PlasmaPro100 is an ICP plasma etcher for 100mm wafers. Oxford PlasmaPro100 uses chlorine and bromine chemistry. Oxford PlasmaPro100 has laser reflectometry/interferometry end-point detection and optical emission spectroscopy end-point detection.[1][2]
Plate 01PlasmaPro 100 Estrelas DRIE – Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology
Oxford InstrumentsWatch on YouTubePlate 02Deep Reactive Ion Etching system - PlasmaPro 100 Estrelas - Oxford Instruments
Oxford InstrumentsWatch on YouTube
Wafer size
100mm
Gas delivery
chlorine and bromine chemistry[1]
What it is
General reference — not yet source-verifiedOxford PlasmaPro100 Etch is a dry plasma etcher used for semiconductor and microfabrication processing.
The PlasmaPro100 Etch is an etch tool in the Oxford Instruments PlasmaPro100 family.
How it works
General reference — not yet source-verifiedPlasma etchers remove material by exposing a patterned wafer to a plasma that reacts with the exposed surface while a mask protects selected areas.
An inductively coupled plasma etcher uses an energetic plasma source and wafer bias control to shape the etch, and endpoint monitoring can be used to stop the process near a target layer.
Where it fits in the process flow
General reference — not yet source-verifiedThe PlasmaPro100 Etch sits in the pattern transfer stage of a fabrication flow, after lithographic patterning has defined the areas to be opened and before later cleaning or downstream processing steps.
Plasma etching is used when directional removal is needed on patterned wafers, especially for dielectric films and other layers that must be opened with controlled selectivity.
Applications
The PlasmaPro100 Etch is used for dielectric etching.[1][4]
The PlasmaPro100 Etch is used for silicon dioxide and silicon nitride thin-film etching.[1]
The PlasmaPro100 Etch is also used for deep dielectric and glass etching.[1]
- metals etching
- deep polymer etching
- Si, SiO2 and Si3N4 thin films etching
What do the numbers mean?
Wafer handling1
Gas & chemistry1
Optics & imaging3
- Endpoint detection
- laser reflectometry/interferometry and optical emission spectroscopy (EOS) endpoint detection[1]
Configuration & options8
What replaced it?
Alternatives
Tools documented as functional equivalents — same process step and wafer size, from a different manufacturer. Each equivalence cites its source.
- STS Multiplex ICP— Same function class: Etch, 100mmCompare in depthsource[3]
What does it need to run?
Site utility requirements, footprint, and infrastructure needed to install and operate this tool. Sourced from public records.
- Chemistrychlorine and bromine chemistry[1]
Where are the manuals?
Generated from public-source data on file. Enter your email to access — nothing is published; details are routed privately.
Not publicly documented
Field notes
No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.
Frequently asked questions
What wafer size does the tool handle?
The tool is set up for 100 mm wafers.[1]
What etch classes is the tool intended for?
The tool is intended for dielectric etching, including silicon dioxide and silicon nitride thin films, as well as deep dielectric and glass etching.[1]
What type of plasma source does the APS module use?
The APS module is an ICP-based high density plasma source.[4]
Not publicly documented
The following facts about the PlasmaPro100 are absent from this record as of this revision. First-hand knowledge or a citation closes a gap; every submission is reviewed before publication.
No publicly documented production dates or lifecycle milestones (introduction, end of production, EOL) for the PlasmaPro100 are on record.
Answerable by: OEM historical records or a trade-press announcement
No publicly documented variants, configuration options, or revision breakpoints of the PlasmaPro100 are on record.
Answerable by: an OEM product catalog or an engineer who ordered or specified the tool
The control-system platform and OS era of the PlasmaPro100 are not on record.
Answerable by: an engineer who operated it or OEM installation records
No publicly documented failure modes or field errata for the PlasmaPro100 are on record.
Answerable by: a field service engineer, process engineer, or maintenance technician
The process node or technology generation of the PlasmaPro100 is not on record.
Answerable by: an OEM datasheet or a fab qualification report
No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.
Sources & citations
Sources (4)Every fact above is drawn from these public sources
- [1]epfl.ch — epfl.chepfl.ch
- [2]TEL Unity Me ‒ Center of MicroNanoTechnology CMi ‐ EPFL — epfl.chepfl.ch
- [3]cores.research.asu.educores.research.asu.edu
- [4]SPTS APS ‒ Center of MicroNanoTechnology CMi ‐ EPFL — epfl.chepfl.ch
Last updated Oct 3, 2026.
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