Patent ID: 7651625
Filing Date: 2010-01-26
Classification: B01J,C23C,C23F,C25B,C25D,H01L

Abstract:
1. A catalyst-aided chemical processing method comprising: preparing a processing reference plane comprising a solid catalyst of platinum, gold, a ceramic solid catalyst, molybdenum, or a molybdenum compound; immersing a workpiece in a processing liquid in which halogen-containing molecules are dissolved; immersing the processing reference plane in the processing liquid so that halogen radicals are generated at the processing reference plane by dissociating the halogen-containing molecules; bringing the processing reference plane into contact with, or close proximity to, a surface to be processed of the workpiece, thereby processing the surface to be processed of the workpiece by dissolving surface atoms of the workpiece through a chemical reaction, between the halogen radicals generated at the processing reference plane and the surface atoms of the workpiece, that forms halogen compounds in the processing liquid; and at least one of (a) voltage application process of applying a voltage between the surface to be processed of the workpiece and the solid catalyst during the processing, (b) a light irradiation process of irradiating the surface to be processed of the workpiece with light during or before the processing, (c) a workpiece temperature control process of controlling temperature of the workpiece during the processing, (d) a processing liquid temperature control process of controlling a temperature of the processing liquid during the processing, and (e) a catalyst temperature control process of controlling a temperature of the solid catalyst during the processing.