Method of etching a silicon-based material
AssigneeNexeon Limited
InventorsMino Green, Feng-Ming Liu
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Abstract
A method is described of selectively etching a silicon substrate in small local areas in order to form columns or pillars in the etched surface. The silicon substrate is held in an etching solution of hydrogen fluoride, a silver salt and an alcohol. The inclusion of the alcohol provides a greater packing density of the silicon columns.
Claims35
A method of etching a silicon substrate to create silicon pillars on the silicon substrate, the method comprising contacting the silicon substrate with an aqueous solution of:
- a fluoride acid or a fluoride salt,
- a silver salt capable of electroless deposition of the metal on the silicon in the presence of fluoride ions, and
- an alcohol.
A method of etching a silicon substrate to create silicon pillars on the silicon substrate, the method comprising contacting the silicon substrate with an aqueous solution of:
- a fluoride acid or a fluoride salt,
- metal salt capable of electroless deposition of the metal on the silicon in the presence of fluoride ions, and
- an alcohol, wherein the metal salt content of the solution is in the range of 5 to 100 mM.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.