A forming method includes: forming a formed article including a first part and a second part using a first metal for the first part and a second metal for the second part; and removing the second part from the formed article by immersing the formed article in an electrolyte solution and causing a current to flow in the second part.

A method and apparatus for electrochemical etching are disclosed. The method comprises immersing parts of objects (2) to be etched in an electrolyte (4), applying a voltage between the objects (2) and at least one electrode (6) to cause an electrochemical reaction between the objects (2) and the electrolyte (4), and positioning the objects (2) and electrodes (6) relative to each other such that a reaction product accumulates on the objects (2) during the reaction to reduce the rate of the reaction.

A method and apparatus for electrochemical etching are disclosed. The method comprises immersing parts of objects (2) to be etched in an electrolyte (4), applying a voltage between the objects (2) and at least one electrode (6) to cause an electrochemical reaction between the objects (2) and the electrolyte (4), and positioning the objects (2) and electrodes (6) relative to each other such that a reaction product accumulates on the objects (2) during the reaction to reduce the rate of the reaction.

Systems and methods are disclosed for fabricating a metal or ceramic component using a 3D printer. An entire 3D printed piece, including both the metal or ceramic component and one or more support structures, is created of a first metal or ceramic material. A sensitization layer is applied to all or part of the 3D printed piece to chemically alter portions of the first metal or ceramic material near the surface making those portions of the material more sensitive to the etching process. The etching process causes the affected material to deplete and separates the component from the support structures without requiring mechanical machining.

An electrolyte (EL) for the electrolytic polishing of a metallic substrate includes at least one fluoride compound (F) and/or one chloride compound (Cl), and at least one complexing agent (CA), wherein the electrolyte (EL) does not contain an acid compound that is not a complexing agent. Furthermore, a process for the electrolytic polishing of a metallic substrate wherein the electrolyte (EL) is applied is described.

An electrolyte (EL) for the electrolytic polishing of a metallic substrate includes at least one fluoride compound (F) and/or one chloride compound (Cl), and at least one complexing agent (CA), wherein the electrolyte (EL) does not contain an acid compound that is not a complexing agent. Furthermore, a process for the electrolytic polishing of a metallic substrate wherein the electrolyte (EL) is applied is described.

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing an emitter in which the tip of the emitter can be formed into a desired shape even when various materials are used for the emitter. The method includes performing an electrolytic polishing process of polishing a front end of a conductive emitter material so that a diameter of the front end is gradually reduced toward a tip; performing a first etching process by irradiating a processing portion of the emitter material processed by the electrolytic polishing process with a charged particle beam; performing a sputtering process by irradiating the pointed portion formed by the first etching process with a focused ion beam; and performing a secondary etching process of further sharpening the tip by an electric field induced gas etching processing while observing a crystal structure of the tip of the pointed portion processed by the sputtering process using a field ion microscope.

A method for producing a multilayer component (21) is specified, which involves providing a body having dielectric layers (3) arranged one above another and first and second electrically conductive layers (4, 84, 5, 85) arranged therebetween. The first conductive layers (4, 84) are connected to a first auxiliary electrode (6) and the second conductive layers (5, 85) are connected to a second auxiliary electrode (7). The body (1, 81) is introduced into a medium and a voltage is applied between the first and second auxiliary electrodes (6, 7) for producing a material removal. Furthermore, a multilayer component is specified, which has depressions (20) formed by an electrochemically controlled material removal.

A method for producing a multilayer component (21) is specified, which involves providing a body having dielectric layers (3) arranged one above another and first and second electrically conductive layers (4, 84, 5, 85) arranged therebetween. The first conductive layers (4, 84) are connected to a first auxiliary electrode (6) and the second conductive layers (5, 85) are connected to a second auxiliary electrode (7). The body (1, 81) is introduced into a medium and a voltage is applied between the first and second auxiliary electrodes (6, 7) for producing a material removal. Furthermore, a multilayer component is specified, which has depressions (20) formed by an electrochemically controlled material removal.

This substrate processing method includes supplying a chemical liquid to an upper surface of a substrate and rinsing away the chemical liquid adhering to the upper surface of the substrate by holding a puddled rinse liquid on the substrate while maintaining a rotation speed of the substrate at a zero or low speed, and a chemical liquid puddle step of holding a liquid film of a puddled chemical liquid on the upper surface of the substrate while maintaining the rotation speed of the substrate at a zero or low speed, and the rinsing step is performed subsequent to finishing the chemical liquid puddle step, and the rinsing step includes supplying a rinse liquid to the upper surface of the substrate and then replacing the liquid film of the chemical liquid held on the upper surface of the substrate with the rinse liquid.