| abstract |
A method relates to an etching and patterning process suitable for microfabrication of ferroelectric/piezoelectric thin and thick films, using an acid- resistant polymer mask. The method of the present invention possesses several advantages, including patterns of well-defined features in the submicron regions, long withstand time in acid and base (over 30 minutes) environments, easy mask removal after etching (less than 3 minutes), low cost and the wide availability of polymer masks. The ferroelectric/piezoelectric films thus patterned exhibit sharply delineated etch, minimized contamination of etching residues and more importantly the improved ferroelectric properties. |