ELECTRO-ETCHING METHOD FOR AN AREA-SELECTIVE TREATMENT OF A SUBSTRATE
The application relates to an electro-etching method for an area-selective treatment of a substrate and an electro-etching system for an area-selective treatment of a substrate. The electro-etching method for an area-selective treatment of a substrate comprises: providing a substrate comprising a surface at least partially covered by at least one electrically conductive material and structures at least partially formed by a further electrically conductive material, so that the structures are electrically connected by means of the electrically conductive material covering the surface, covering the substrate with an electrolyte, applying an electric potential to the substrate, electro-etching the electrically conductive material by means of a combination of the electric potential and the electrolyte, and continuing the electro-etching until the electrically conductive material at the surface is removed so that the structures are no longer electrically connected by means of the electrically conductive material covering the surface.
1 . An electro-etching method for an area-selective treatment of a substrate, comprising:
providing a substrate comprising a surface at least partially covered by at least one electrically conductive material and structures at least partially formed by a further electrically conductive material, so that the structures are electrically connected by means of the electrically conductive material covering the surface,
covering the substrate with an electrolyte,
applying an electric potential to the substrate,
electro-etching the electrically conductive material by means of a combination of the electric potential and the electrolyte, and
continuing the electro-etching until the electrically conductive material at the surface is at least partially removed so that the structures are no longer electrically connected by means of the electrically conductive material covering the surface.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the structures are trenches at least partially filled by the electrically conductive material and/or ridges comprising the electrically conductive material.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electro-etching is stopped with the removal of the at least one electrically conductive material covering the surface between the structures.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive material covering the surface of the substrate is the same as the further electrically conductive material forming the structures.
5 - 19 . (canceled)
20 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive material covering the surface of the substrate is different from the further electrically conductive material forming the structures.
21 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electric potential extracts electrons from the electrically conductive material to electrically oxidize the electrically conductive material to obtain an electrically oxidized material surface.
22 . The method according to claim 21 , wherein the electrolyte dissolves the electrically oxidized material surface.
23 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein an availability of the electrolyte is reduced in areas of high electric flux to balance the electro-etching relative to areas of lower electric flux.
24 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is not chemically oxidizing the electrically conductive material.
25 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is passivating the further electrically conductive material forming the structures after the electrically conductive material covering the surface between the structures has been removed.
26 . An electro-etching system for an area-selective treatment of a substrate, comprising:
an substrate holder configured to hold the substrate and provide an electric potential to the substrate to form an anode,
a cathode,
an electrolyte configured to cover the substrate holder,
a distribution body comprising electric potential distribution vias to distribute the electric potential relative to the substrate holder and chemical dissolution distribution vias to distribute the electrolyte relative to the substrate holder to electro-etch at least one electrically conductive material covering at least partially at a surface of the substrate and at least one further electrically conductive material forming at least partially structures of the substrate by means of a combination of the electric potential and the electrolyte.
27 . The system according to claim 26 , wherein the substrate holder is electrically connected to a positive pole of a source of direct electric current and/or wherein the cathode is electrically connected to a negative pole of the source of direct electric current.
28 . The system according to claim 26 , wherein the cathode is made of an inert material and/or a material insoluble in the electrolyte.
29 . The system according to claim 26 , wherein the substrate holder comprises a plurality of electric contacts for the substrate.
30 . The system according to claim 26 , wherein the substrate holder comprises one electric contact for the substrate and is of the same size as the substrate.
31 . The system according to claim 26 , wherein the chemical dissolution distribution vias comprise jet holes for controlling a flow of the electrolyte towards the substrate holder.
32 . The system according to claim 26 , wherein the chemical dissolution distribution vias comprise drain holes for controlling a draining off the electrolyte from the substrate holder.
33 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the electric potential distribution vias are the drain holes.
34 . The system according to claim 26 , further comprising a netted distribution framework arranged between the distribution body and the substrate holder, wherein the netted distribution framework comprises passages as electric potential distribution vias to distribute the electric potential relative to the substrate holder and chemical dissolution distribution vias to distribute the electrolyte relative to the substrate holder.
35 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between the substrate holder and the distribution body or the netted distribution framework is in a range of 5 to 50 mm.