The microscopic activation energy etching mechanism in anisotropic wet etching of quartz

Abstract

This study explores the effect of external etching conditions (concentration or temperature) on anisotropic etch rates of quartz, and analyzes the reasons for the change of anisotropic etching characteristics in detail. Based on the particular atomic arrangements and the etch rates of several specific crystal planes, the proposed Microscopic Activation Energy Evaluation function (MAEE) based on Monte Carlo etching method (MC) clearly confirms the relationship among the macroscopic etch rate of a crystal plane, microscopic activation energies and atomic removal probabilities, explains the cause of anisotropy in wet etching of quartz from the perspective of microscopic atomic energy for the first time and specifies the roles of different types atoms in etching process. The successful predictions for the final structural profiles and topography of Z-cut and AT-cut wafers effectively verify the correctness of the MAEE evaluation function.