Patent ID: 11931805
Assignee: COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
Field: Materials, metallurgy (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  Y | IPC B

Claim 16:
17. A process for separating a support from a part, comprising:
joining said part and said support at a connection that has a separation dimension from an outer perimeter of said connection, wherein said part, said connection, and said support comprises a copper material;
applying a sensitizing agent to said part and said support proximate to said connection, wherein said sensitizing agent comprises a sulfur material;
heating said part and said support at an elevated temperature to cause said sensitizing agent to diffuse into said part and said support and create a sensitized region, wherein said sensitized region has a depth that is greater than or equal to said separation dimension, and wherein causing said sensitizing agent to diffuse into said part causes an outer surface of said part and said support at the sensitized region to change from the copper material to copper sulfide; and
applying an etchant to said sensitized region to dissolve said sensitized region through said separation dimension to separate said support from said part.