Patent ID: 7690095
Filing Date: 2010-04-06
Classification: H03H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for manufacturing a quartz piece out of a quartz substrate, the quartz piece having a perimeter shape having first and second side edge perimeter surfaces opposing each other, wherein the quartz substrate has first and second main surfaces opposing each other, the method comprising the steps of: forming a first etching mask on said first main surface, the first etching mask being provided with a first opening area for etching said first main surface so as to form said first side edge perimeter surface extending inward from said first main surface for forming a portion of the perimeter shape defined by said first side edge perimeter surface, and said first etching mask being provided with no opening area corresponding to the second side edge perimeter surface; forming a second etching mask on said second main surface, the second etching mask being provided with a second opening area for etching said second main surface so as to form said second side edge perimeter surface extending inward from said second main surface for forming a portion of the perimeter shape defined by said second side edge perimeter surface, and said second etching mask being provided with no opening area corresponding to the first side edge perimeter surface; forming the perimeter shape of the quartz piece by immersing said quartz substrate into an etching solution so as to form said first side edge perimeter surface of the quartz piece by etching from the first main surface of said quartz substrate and to form said second side edge perimeter surface by etching from the second main surface of said quartz substrate; and removing said first and second etching masks from said quartz substrate, wherein when etching from the first main surface of said quartz substrate, the rate of etching at first side of the first opening is greater than the rate of etching from a second side of the first opening due to the anisotropy of quartz, and wherein when etching from the second main surface of the quartz substrate, the rate of etching at a first side of the second opening is greater than the rate of etching at a second side of said second opening due to the anisotropy of quartz.