You should be able to etch silicon nitride using the downstream effluent
from fluorine based glow discharge (e.g. CF4) in this case there will be no
energetic ion bombardment.  This will, however, result in an isotropic etch.

You can also minimize ion bombardment by using a non-RIE plasma etch,
something like a Technics PEII in which the substrate doesn't sit on the
driven electrode.  A barrel etcher might be another alternative.

Roger Shile

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
On Behalf Of [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 7:57 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [mems-talk] Anisotropic Wet Etching of Silicon nitride

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the reply. The thing is that I would like to minimize the ions
bombardment damage from RIE to etch under a very "delicate" material.