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Deep RIE etching; Dry Etching

Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) is a type of dry etching used in MEMS fabrication to create high aspect ratio features, such as deep trenches and holes. DRIE involves the use of a plasma to etch deep, narrow features in a substrate, typically made of silicon, using an etch mask made of a material such as photoresist or silicon dioxide. DRIE is a complex process that typically involves alternating between two steps: an etching step and a passivation step. During the etching step, the plasma removes material from the substrate, creating the desired features. During the passivation step, a layer of material, such as silicon dioxide, is deposited on the sidewalls of the features to protect them from over-etching and to maintain their shape. The advantages of DRIE include high etch rates, high aspect ratios, and excellent control over feature shapes and sizes. DRIE is used in the fabrication of many MEMS devices, including accelerometers, gyroscopes, and microfluidic systems. Dry etching is a type of etching that uses plasma to remove material from a substrate. In addition to DRIE, other types of dry etching include reactive ion etching (RIE), ion beam etching (IBE), and plasma etching. Dry etching has several advantages over wet etching, including better control over feature shapes and sizes, higher selectivity, and the ability to etch high aspect ratio features. Dry etching can be used to etch a variety of materials, including silicon, silicon dioxide, metals, and polymers.