Etching apparatus and method

1. A method comprising:

supplying an etchant to a workpiece to be etched;

irradiating the workpiece; and

controlling a radiation by spatially modulating the radiation such that a temperature profile of the workpiece is adjusted to a desired temperature profile while the etchant is being supplied to the workpiece.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising rotating the workpiece.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

measuring a thickness profile of the workpiece prior to supplying the etchant; and

setting a spatial modulation of the radiation depending on the thickness profile.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

measuring a thickness profile of the workpiece while supplying the etchant and irradiating the workpiece; and

adjusting a spatial modulation of the radiation depending on the measurement.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein measuring the thickness profile comprises performing at least one of a capacitive measurement, an optical triangulation measurement or an interference-based measurement.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

measuring a thickness profile of the workpiece after termination of supplying the etchant and irradiating the workpiece; and

modifying a spatial modulation of the radiation for a next workpiece depending on the thickness profile.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein measuring the thickness profile comprises performing at least one of a capacitive measurement, an optical triangulation measurement or an interference-based measurement.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the workpiece is a semiconductor wafer.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein irradiating comprises spatially modulating light from a radiation source with a power sufficient to irradiate the workpiece with a power density of at least 1 W/cm2.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein irradiating comprises controlling a spatial light modulator to generate a spatially modulated radiation.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the spatial light modulator comprises at least one of a micromirror array or a liquid crystal display array.