Patent ID: 7544283

Claim:
A method for removing a thin metal film from an insulative material, comprising: disposing an auxiliary electrode across a width of the thin metal film to be removed in such a manner that at least a part of the auxiliary electrode is immersed in an electrolyte in a reservoir; disposing a metal-plate electrode at a distance from the auxiliary electrode at an angle inclined towards the auxiliary electrode, the metal-plate electrode having a width at least as wide as the thin metal film to be removed; flowing a layer of the electrolyte down into the reservoir along an inclined surface of the metal-plate electrode, the layer of the electrolyte having a width at least as wide as the thin metal film to be removed; applying a DC voltage between the metal-plate electrode and the auxiliary electrode; and removing the thin metal film from the insulative material in the reservoir while flowing the electrolyte down from the metal-plate electrode against the thin metal film on the insulative material.