Which etching process is isotropic in nature?

(i) Wet Chemical Etching
(ii) Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE)
(iii) Plasma Etching
(iv) Ion Beam Milling

Question

Which etching process is isotropic in nature?

(i) Wet Chemical Etching
(ii) Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE)
(iii) Plasma Etching
(iv) Ion Beam Milling

Accepted Answer

**Answer: (i) Wet Chemical Etching**

Wet chemical etching is generally **isotropic**, meaning material is removed at approximately similar rates in different directions. This can cause lateral undercutting beneath a mask. Some wet etchants can be crystal-orientation dependent, but in the standard classification used in this question, wet etching is treated as isotropic.

Similar questions