Porous siliconformation and etching process for use in silicon micromachining
- Albuquerque, NM
A reproducible process for uniformly etching silicon from a series of micromechanical structures used in electrical devices and the like includes providing a micromechanical structure having a silicon layer with defined areas for removal thereon and an electrochemical cell containing an aqueous hydrofluoric acid electrolyte. The micromechanical structure is submerged in the electrochemical cell and the defined areas of the silicon layer thereon are anodically biased by passing a current through the electrochemical cell for a time period sufficient to cause the defined areas of the silicon layer to become porous. The formation of the depth of the porous silicon is regulated by controlling the amount of current passing through the electrochemical cell. The micromechanical structure is then removed from the electrochemical cell and submerged in a hydroxide solution to remove the porous silicon. The process is subsequently repeated for each of the series of micromechanical structures to achieve a reproducibility better than 0.3%.
- Research Organization:
- AT&T
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4995954
- OSTI ID:
- 867722
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
siliconformation
etching
process
silicon
micromachining
reproducible
uniformly
series
micromechanical
structures
electrical
devices
providing
structure
layer
defined
removal
thereon
electrochemical
cell
containing
aqueous
hydrofluoric
acid
electrolyte
submerged
anodically
biased
passing
current
time
period
sufficient
formation
depth
regulated
controlling
amount
removed
hydroxide
solution
remove
subsequently
repeated
achieve
reproducibility
acid electrolyte
micromechanical structure
layer thereon
hydrofluoric acid
etching process
period sufficient
silicon layer
porous silicon
electrochemical cell
time period
cell containing
micromechanical structures
current passing
hydroxide solution
electrical device
silicon micromachining
electrical devices
etching silicon
mechanical structure
cell contain
oxide solution
current pass
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