Author(s)

Carlos M. Ortiz-Lima, Fernando J. Quiñones-Novelo, Alberto Jaramillo-Núñez, Jorge Castro-Ramos

Insitituto Nacional de Astrofísica, óptica y Electrónica, Puebla, México.

A method for etching the surface of a Pyrex glass substrate using the Reactive Ion Etching process without the use of masks is reported. Variations in the machined surface on an auxiliary plate, manufactured in aluminum and placed below a Pyrex glass slide, were transferred to the upper surface of the substrate. SF₆ as etching gas and low pressure chamber to promote the increase of mean free path of ions were used. Two etching ratios were found, general, that affects the entire surface of the substrate, and differential, which generates the relief on the surface of the glass. Differential etching depth showed a linear behavior with respect to time; the mean differential etching rate obtained was 43 nm/min. The same phase between the auxiliary plate machining and the etched pattern on the substrate is preserved. With this technique it was possible to manufacture convex and concave surfaces; some examples are given. The arithmetic mean roughness achieved with the proposed method was found to be N1 class, ideal for the development of optical corrector plates.

Reactive Ion Etching, No Masking RIE, SF₆, Plasma Etching

Ortiz-Lima, C. , Quiñones-Novelo, F. , Jaramillo-Núñez, A. and Castro-Ramos, J. (2014) Transfer of Machined Patterns on an Aluminum Plate to Pyrex Glass Using Reactive Ion Etching SF₆ Plasma without Masks. Journal of Surface Engineered Materials and Advanced Technology, 4, 262-269. doi: 10.4236/jsemat.2014.45030.