--- title: How Uniform Is Oxygen Plasma Etching Across a 100 mm Wafer Using the MARCH AP-600? description: Learn how the MARCH AP-600 Plasma System delivers approximately 2% wafer uniformity and stable oxygen plasma etch rates for 100 mm wafer processing in semiconductor and MEMS manufacturing. --- [Skip to content](https://www.api-knowledgebase.com/how-uniform-is-oxygen-plasma-etching-across-a-100-mm-wafer-using-the-march-ap-600#main-content) English - United States Show submenu for translations [![Assembly Products](https://www.api-knowledgebase.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Assembly%20Products.png?width=379&height=74&name=Assembly%20Products.png)](https://assembly-products.com/) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English - United States Show submenu for translations - [Contact us](https://assembly-products.com/pages/contact-api) [Contact us](https://assembly-products.com/pages/contact-api) How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Assembly Products Knowledge Base](https://www.api-knowledgebase.com/?hsLang=en-us) 2. [FAQs](https://www.api-knowledgebase.com/faqs?hsLang=en-us) 3. [MARCH](https://www.api-knowledgebase.com/faqs?hsLang=en-us#march) # How Uniform Is Oxygen Plasma Etching Across a 100 mm Wafer Using the MARCH AP-600? ## Learn how the MARCH AP-600 Plasma System delivers approximately 2% wafer uniformity and stable oxygen plasma etch rates for 100 mm wafer processing in semiconductor and MEMS manufacturing. Uniform **oxygen plasma etching** is critical in **semiconductor plasma processing**, where even slight variations in material removal can affect device performance, manufacturing yield, and process repeatability. Whether producing semiconductors, MEMS devices, sensors, or advanced electronic components, maintaining consistent **plasma etch uniformity** across an entire wafer is essential for high-quality manufacturing. This study evaluated the **MARCH AP-600 Plasma System** to determine its ability to deliver highly uniform **oxygen plasma processing** across a **100 mm wafer** while maintaining stable etch rates over multiple processing times. --- **Why Is Plasma Etch Uniformity Important?** In plasma-based manufacturing, the distribution of reactive species inside the chamber directly affects material removal across the wafer. Poor plasma uniformity can result in: - Uneven thin film removal - Variable critical dimensions - Reduced device performance - Lower manufacturing yields - Increased process variability A highly uniform plasma process ensures every area of the wafer receives nearly identical treatment, improving consistency from wafer to wafer and batch to batch. --- **Objective** The purpose of this evaluation was to measure the uniformity and repeatability of **oxygen plasma etching** on a 100 mm wafer using the **MARCH AP-600 Plasma System**. The study focused on: - Plasma etch rate consistency - Wafer-to-wafer process repeatability - Plasma uniformity across multiple measurement locations ![](https://www.api-knowledgebase.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-01-2026-04-55-33-7161-PM.png?width=271&height=328&name=image-png-Jul-01-2026-04-55-33-7161-PM.png) --- **Equipment Used** | Component | Specification | | --- | --- | | Plasma System | MARCH AP-600 | | Process Gas | Oxygen (O₂) | | Wafer Size | 100 mm | --- **Oxygen Plasma Process Parameters** | Parameter | Value | | --- | --- | | RF Power | 250 W | | Process Gas | Oxygen | | Gas Flow | 50 sccm | | Chamber Pressure | 296 mTorr | | Base Pressure | 100 mTorr | | Wafer Size | 100 mm | Material removal was evaluated after three plasma exposure times: - 120 seconds - 180 seconds - 240 seconds Film thickness measurements were collected at five locations across each wafer to evaluate **etch rate uniformity** and overall process consistency. --- Results ### Average Material Removed Material removal increased nearly linearly as plasma exposure time increased, demonstrating stable oxygen plasma performance throughout the evaluation. | Process Time | Average Material Removed | | --- | --- | | 120 sec | 1,736.6 Å | | 180 sec | 2,696.2 Å | | 240 sec | 3,493.3 Å | ![](https://www.api-knowledgebase.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-01-2026-05-01-46-6463-PM.png?width=235&height=316&name=image-png-Jul-01-2026-05-01-46-6463-PM.png)   --- ### Average Oxygen Plasma Etch Rate The **oxygen plasma etch rate** remained remarkably consistent throughout testing. | Process Time | Average Etch Rate | | --- | --- | | 120 sec | 868 Å/min | | 180 sec | 899 Å/min | | 240 sec | 873 Å/min | The narrow variation in etch rate demonstrates stable RF plasma conditions and repeatable process performance. ![](https://www.api-knowledgebase.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-01-2026-05-01-57-9477-PM.png?width=303&height=322&name=image-png-Jul-01-2026-05-01-57-9477-PM.png) --- ### Wafer Uniformity One of the most significant findings was the excellent **plasma etch uniformity** achieved across the entire wafer. | Process Time | Wafer Uniformity | | --- | --- | | 120 sec | 1.99% | | 180 sec | 2.15% | | 240 sec | 1.98% | Uniformity remained approximately **2%** throughout every processing condition, indicating highly consistent plasma distribution across the wafer surface. --- **Engineering Discussion** Achieving excellent **plasma process control** requires consistent plasma density throughout the processing chamber. Variations in plasma intensity can produce uneven film removal, creating defects that reduce device performance and manufacturing yield. During this evaluation, the **MARCH AP-600 Plasma System** demonstrated several indicators of a well-controlled oxygen plasma process: - Material removal increased proportionally with process time. - Average etch rates remained stable throughout testing. - Wafer uniformity stayed near 2% across every process duration. - Measurements collected from multiple wafer locations showed excellent consistency. These results indicate that the AP-600 provides highly repeatable **oxygen plasma etching** suitable for manufacturing environments that require tight process control and reliable wafer-to-wafer repeatability. --- **Typical Applications** Uniform oxygen plasma processing is commonly used for: - Semiconductor manufacturing - MEMS fabrication - Sensor manufacturing - Wafer cleaning - Photoresist removal - Surface preparation before deposition - Thin film etching - Advanced electronics manufacturing --- **Conclusion** Testing demonstrated that the **MARCH AP-600 Plasma System** delivers highly uniform **oxygen plasma etching** on **100 mm wafers**, making it well suited for semiconductor and advanced electronics manufacturing. The evaluation showed consistent material removal, stable etch rates, and excellent plasma uniformity throughout every processing condition tested. ### Key Findings - Approximately **2% wafer uniformity** - Stable oxygen plasma etch rates between **868 and 899 Å/min** - Nearly linear material removal as processing time increased - Excellent wafer-to-wafer process repeatability - Reliable plasma process control for precision wafer manufacturing ![](https://www.api-knowledgebase.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-01-2026-05-02-27-8453-PM.png?width=367&height=318&name=image-png-Jul-01-2026-05-02-27-8453-PM.png) For manufacturers requiring repeatable **wafer plasma etching**, **thin film processing**, **photoresist removal**, and other precision semiconductor applications, the **MARCH AP-600 Plasma System** provides the consistency and process stability needed for high-yield production. - [FAQs](https://www.api-knowledgebase.com/faqs?hsLang=en-us#main-content) - [MARCH](https://www.api-knowledgebase.com/faqs?hsLang=en-us#march) [![API\_FAVICON-print (1)](https://www.api-knowledgebase.com/hs-fs/hubfs/API_FAVICON-print%20(1).png?width=151&height=84&name=API_FAVICON-print%20(1).png "API_FAVICON-print (1)")](https://assembly-products.com/) [mailto:support@assemblyproductsinc.com](mailto:support@assemblyproductsinc.com) Copyright © 2026, Assembly Products