Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
An anisotropic etch method comprising: submersing a surface of a substrate in a liquid, said liquid including at least one etching agent; adding a passivation agent to said liquid, said passivation agent fbrming a passivation layer on said surface and being substantially insoluble in said liquid; and irradiating portions of said surface with radiation to produce irradiated areas and substantially non-irradiated areas, thereby causing the passivation layer to be substantially removed from said irradiated areas.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to Claim 1, wherein said step of adding passivation agent comprises adding the agent to said liquid before said surface if submersed
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the etching occurs at a rate which is substantially unchanged by said irradiation.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
19 words
The method according to any preceding Claim, further comprising causing said liquid to flow with respect to said surface.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
17 words
The method according to any preceding Claim, further comprising modulating the intensity of said radiation with time.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
27 words
The method according to any preceding Claim, further comprising changing the intensity of said radiation such that it is not equal at all points on said surface.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
20 words
The method according to any preceding Claim, further comprising maintaining the temperature of said liquid to be approximately 25 °C.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
15 words
The method according to any preceding Claim, further comprising irradiating said surface with monochromatic radiation.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
15 words
The method according to any preceding Claim, further comprising providing said etching agent as H₂O.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
39 words
The method according to any of Claims 1 to 8, further comprising providing said surface as copper; said etching agent as hydrochloric acid in 0.1 % molar concentration; and said passivation agent as iodine in 0.019 % molar concentration.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of Claim 10, further comprising: submersing said copper in the 0.1 % molar hydrochloric acid containing the 0.019 % molar iodine; and illuminating said copper with visible/ultraviolet radiation produced by a 200 Watt mercury/xenon lamp.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to Claim 11, further comprising providing said copper on a crystalline silicon substrate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of Claim 9, further comprising submersing said surface in an aqueous solution, said aqueous solution including at least one said etchant.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
17 words
The method according to Claim is, further comprising providing said aqueous solution having greater than 90% H₂O.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
An integrated circuit fabricated by the method of any preceding Claim.