Carbon enhanced vapor etching

Abstract

A carbon enhanced vapor etching process which eliminates resist development, avoids contact with wet chemicals and plasma, and employs simple universally available process equipment. The process is based on the discovery that the etch rate of silicon dioxide in hydrogen fluoride is greatly enhanced in the presence of carbon. Carbon is provided by an organic or inorganic material deposited on or in the surface of the silicon.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.