Method for surface preparation to enable uniform etching of polycrystalline materials

Abstract

A method for surface preparation of a polycrystalline material prior to etching. The material surface is amorphized by two particle beam bombardments s on the material surface. These energized particles break the crystal structure of the crystalline material and convert it into amorphous material. The two particle beams are oriented to each other at an angle of at least twice of the critical angle of channeling for the most open crystal structure in the material. This ensures amorphization of the material surface regardless of the different grain orientations on the surface. The amorphous surface has isotropic surface properties and thus allows uniform etching. The uniformity in surface properties allows better control over etching process and reduces damage to underlying and adjacent material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.