Method for the etching of silicon substrates and substrate for the execution of the method

Claim 1

A method for etching a silicon substrate (Si-substrate), comprising: forming a protective layer of mineral glass adhering to the substrate and serving as a mask on at least some portions of said Si-substrate which are not to be etched, said mineral glass protective layer having local openings through which surface areas of the substrate are exposed to an etchant for etching of exposed surface areas; etching said substrate after formation of said mineral glass protective layer; wherein said mineral glass protective layer forming step comprises: applying to the Si-substrate a mixture containing finely dispersed mineral glass particles having a size of about 1-100 μm a component which can be polymerized by actinic radiation and fixing agents, or of a compound which is heat-fusable into mineral glass; exposing the applied mixture to actinic radiation to polymerize said applied mixture removing portions of said polymerized mixture from those portions of the Si-substrate to be etched; heating the non-removed portions of said polymerized mixture for the purpose of forming said etching mask of mineral glass adhering to such Si-substrate.

Claim 2

A method for etching a silicon substrate (Si-substrate), comprising: forming a protective layer of mineral glass adhering to the substrate and serving as a mask on at least some portions of said Si-substrate which are not to be etched, said mineral glass protective layer having local openings through which surface areas of the substrate are exposed to an etchant for etching of exposed surface areas; etching said substrate after formation of said mineral glass protective layer; wherein said mineral glass protective layer forming step comprises: applying to the Si-substrate a mixture containing finely dispersed mineral glass particles having a size of about 1-100 μm a component which can be polymerized by actinic radiation and fixing agents, or of a compound which is heat-fusable into mineral glass; exposing the applied mixture to actinic radiation to polymerize said applied mixture removing portions of said polymerized mixture from those portions of the Si-substrate to be etched; heating the non-removed portions of said polymerized mixture for the purpose of forming said etching mask of mineral glass adhering to such Si-substrate.

Claim 8

A method for etching a silicon substrate (Si-substrate), comprising: forming a protective layer of mineral glass having a thickness of 1-100 μm adhering to the substrate serving as a mask on at least some portions of said Si-substrate which are not to be etched, said mineral glass protective layer having local openings through which surface areas of the substrate are exposed to an etchant for etching of exposed surface areas; and etching said substrate after formation of said mineral glass protective layer; wherein said mineral glass protective layer is formed in varying thicknesses on the surface of said Si-substrate, with at least some of those portions of the surface area covered by relatively thin mineral glass formed in an area neighboring windows through said protective layer.

Claim 9

A method for etching a silicon substrate (Si-substrate), comprising: forming a protective layer of mineral glass having a thickness of 1-100 μm adhering to the substrate serving as a mask on at least some portions of said Si-substrate which are not to be etched, said mineral glass protective layer having local openings through which surface areas of the substrate are exposed to an etchant for etching of exposed surface areas; and etching said substrate after formation of said mineral glass protective layer; wherein said mineral glass protective layer is formed in varying thicknesses on the surface of said Si-substrate, with at least some of those portions of the surface area covered by relatively thin mineral glass formed in an area neighboring windows through said protective layer.

Claim 15

A method according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, further comprising: said layer thickness being 5-20 μm.

Claim 16

A method of etching a silicon substrate for removing a silicon portion from said substrate, said method comprising the steps of: forming a temporary masking layer on at least one silicon surface of said substrate, said masking layer having a predetermined pattern comprising at least one opening for defining an exposed area of said silicon surface and at least one protecting layer portion where said masking layer adheres to and covers a portion of said silicon surface for defining a non-exposed area thereof; contacting said exposed area with a chemical etchant for removing said silicon portion from said substrate; and removing said temporary masking layer from said non-exposed area of said silicon surface; wherein said forming step further comprises: forming said temporary masking layer by providing on said surface and in said pattern a composition capable of forming upon heating a layer of a mineral glass adhering to said silicon surface; and heating said layer of said composition to convert said layer of said composition into a layer of mineral glass having said pattern prior to said contacting of said exposed area with said chemical etchant.

Claim 17

A method of etching a silicon substrate for removing a silicon portion from said substrate, said method comprising the steps of: forming a temporary masking layer on at least one silicon surface of said substrate, said masking layer having a predetermined pattern comprising at least one opening for defining an exposed area of said silicon surface and at least one protecting layer portion where said masking layer adheres to and covers a portion of said silicon surface for defining a non-exposed area thereof; contacting said exposed area with a chemical etchant for removing said silicon portion from said substrate; and removing said temporary masking layer from said non-exposed area of said silicon surface; wherein said forming step further comprises: forming said temporary masking layer by providing on said surface and in said pattern a composition capable of forming upon heating a layer of a mineral glass adhering to said silicon surface; and heating said layer of said composition to convert said layer of said composition into a layer of mineral glass having said pattern prior to said contacting of said exposed area with said chemical etchant.

Claim 24

A method according to claims 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 further comprising: said mineral glass protective layer formed with a layer thickness of 1-100 μm.