Increase and Decrease of Etching Rate of Silicon due to Diamond Tip Sliding by Changing Scanning Density

Abstract

To realize the increase and decrease of the etching rate of silicon (100) with potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution, properties of silicon specimens processed by diamond tip sliding at low and high scanning densities were evaluated. Processing at a low scanning density resulted in a removal of the natural oxide layer by a mechanical action. Therefore, processing an area at low scanning density increases the etching rate achieved with KOH solution. As well, thick oxide layers were mechanochemically formed on the area processed at a high scanning density. The thick oxidized layer suppresses etching by the KOH solution and decreases the etching rate.