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Aluminum and fluorinated compounds make a very highly energetic combination.
Certain of them are used in explosives.  I am unfamiliar with cleaning
procedures.  Do they ordinarily recommend contacting aluminum with fluorine
compounds?  Ouch!

Robert Dean wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I'm having an odd problem and would greatly appreciate any advice.  I am
> developing a mems device consisting of patterned aluminum on silicon wafers.
> Some of the patterned aluminum is on the silicon substrate and some is on a
> silicon dioxide layer.  After dicing,  packaging and wirebonding the die, I
> perform a 20 second clean in a Technics PE2A Plasma Etcher at 300W with 90%
> SF6 with 10% O2.  I do this to clean the exposed silicon surface before
> release etching with XeF2 in a separate etcher.  During the cleaning, some
> of the packaged die experience a phenomena where the aluminum traces explode
> like a fuse.  I think this may be due to charge build-up during the 20
> second clean?  How do I prevent this from happening?  We've tried thermal
> grease on the back of the packages without improvement.  This phenomena only
> happens about half of the time.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Robert Dean
>
> RF CMOS Designer / Project Manager
>
> MEMS Optical, Inc.
> 205 Import Circle
> Huntsville, AL 35806
>
> (256) 859-1886     Voice
> (256) 859-5890     Fax
>
>

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