Patent ID: 7507324

Claim:
A process for electrochemically etching a layer with electric conduction properties, of doped metal oxide type, on a transparent substrate of glass type, the substrate including, deposited on the layer prior to the process, a mask with patterns delimiting a plurality of bared regions on the layer, the mask being capable of being removed after etching, the process comprising: bringing at least one region to be etched of the layer into contact with an electrically conducting solution; immersing a first electrode in the solution and placing the first electrode facing and at a distance from the at least one region; applying an electrical voltage between the first electrode and the layer to be etched with an electrical contact obtained by immersing a second electrode into the electrically conducting solution brought into contact with at least one unetched region, wherein the second electrode is separated from the layer; and physically isolating regions of the substrate already etched from the electrically conducting solution while etching continues on other unetched regions of the substrate.