RIE operates in a plasma chamber where the substrate is exposed to a plasma of reactive gases. The process involves the following steps:
The substrate is placed on a cathode within the plasma chamber. A high-frequency RF power supply generates a plasma from the reactive gases. Positive ions from the plasma are accelerated towards the negatively charged substrate, causing physical sputtering. Chemical reactions between the reactive species in the plasma and the substrate material lead to the formation of volatile by-products that are removed from the surface.
