Hi Ashish,

We have been using excimer laser ablation to etch lithium niobate.  This gets
around the problem of the materials resistance to chemicals and, under the
correct conditions, can give very good results.  I would be interested to know
the feature sizes (width, depth and length) that you require and which crystal
cut you are using.  In the mean time try checking out the article below.
Since this work we have further improved the process and will publish more
work early in 2001.

HW Choo, A Mitchell, JP Hayes and MW Austin, "Excimer laser surface
micromachining of LiNbO3 for realization of optimised optical modulator
electrode structures", Proc. SPIE: Micromachining and Microfabrication Process
Technology VII, vol.4557, pp. 119, San Franscisco, USA, 21-24 Oct. 2001

Regards,

Jason Hayes
[email protected]
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Ashish Singh
  To: [email protected]
  Sent: Thursday, 20 December 2001 3:53
  Subject: [mems-talk] Etchant for Lithium Niobate


  Hi all,

  I am trying to etch Lithium Niobate. I tried to etch it with buffered
  HF but there is not result.

  Kindly let me know if there are other etchants or techniques to etch
  Lithium Niobate.

  Thanks
  Ashish Singh
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