Etching method employing radiation and noble gas halide
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsHarold F. Winters, Brian N. Chapman
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Abstract
A method for etching using radiation and a gas.
Claims31
A method for etching a surface wherein all of the constituents of the surface are capable of forming volatile substances which comprises exposing the surface to be etched to at least one noble gas halide and to radiation selected from the group of ion beam radiation, electron beam radiation, nuclear radiation, actinic light, and mixtures thereof at about the same time for a period of time to etch the surface to the desired extent.
The method for etching a surface wherein all of the constituents of the surface are capable of forming volatile substances which comprises exposing the surface to be etched to electron beam radiation and reactive vapors of an etchant at about the same time under vacuum in a predetermined pattern to etch predetermined portions of the surface to the desired extent, and wherein the etchant includes at least one reactive gaseous constituent which is adsorbed on the surface to be etched, does not leave any non-etchable residue from it on the surface after the etching, and reacts with the surface to form gaseous products which desorb from the surface into the gaseous phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.