The present invention provides a glass composition that allows holes with a circular contour and a smooth inner wall to be formed by a collective micro-hole-forming process using a combination of modified portion formation by ultraviolet laser irradiation and etching, the glass composition being adapted for practical continuous production. The present invention relates to a glass for laser processing, the glass including a metal oxide serving as a coloring component, the glass having a glass composition including, in mol %: 45.0%SiO.sub.268.0%; 2.0%B.sub.2O.sub.320.0%; 3.0%Al.sub.2O.sub.320.0%; 0.1%TiO.sub.25.0%; and 0%ZnO9.0%, wherein a relationship of 0Li.sub.2O+Na.sub.2O+K.sub.2O<2.0% is satisfied.

A method and an apparatus for etching microstructures and the like that provides improved selectivity to surrounding materials when etching silicon using xenon difluoride (XeF.sub.2). Etch selectivity is greatly enhanced with the addition of hydrogen to the process chamber.

A method for manufacturing a component in a substrate including: a) modifying a structure of at least one region of the substrate to make the at least one region more selective; and b) chemically etching the at least one region to selectively manufacture the component.

An integrated circuit (IC) device is provided. The IC device includes a first die including a first substrate and a second die including a second substrate. A plasma-reflecting layer is included on an upper surface of the first die. The plasma-reflecting layer is configured to reflect a plasma therefrom. The second substrate is bonded to the first die so as to form a cavity, wherein a lower surface of the cavity is lined by the plasma-reflecting layer. A dielectric protection layer is present on a lower surface of the second die and lines the upper surface of the cavity. A material of the second substrate has a first etch rate for the plasma and a material of the dielectric protection layer has a second etch rate for the plasma. The second etch rate is less than the first etch rate.

A method for manufacturing a protective layer for protecting an intermediate structural layer against etching with hydrofluoric acid, the intermediate structural layer being made of a material that can be etched or damaged by hydrofluoric acid, the method comprising the steps of: forming a first layer of aluminum oxide, by atomic layer deposition, on the intermediate structural layer; performing a thermal crystallization process on the first layer of aluminum oxide to form a first intermediate protective layer; forming a second layer of aluminum oxide, by atomic layer deposition, above the first intermediate protective layer; and performing a thermal crystallization process on the second layer of aluminum oxide to form a second intermediate protective layer and thereby completing the formation of the protective layer. The method for forming the protective layer can be used, for example, during the manufacturing steps of an inertial sensor such as a gyroscope or an accelerometer.

A bio-sensing semiconductor structure is provided. A transistor includes a channel region and a gate underlying the channel region. A first dielectric layer overlies the transistor. A first opening extends through the first dielectric layer to expose the channel region. A bio-sensing layer lines the first opening and covers an upper surface of the channel region. A second dielectric layer lines the first opening over the bio-sensing layer. A second opening within the first opening extends to the bio-sensing layer, through a region of the second dielectric layer overlying the channel region. A method for manufacturing the bio-sensing semiconductor structure is also provided.

A method for manufacturing a resonator in a substrate, including: a) modifying a structure of at least one region of the substrate to make the at least one region more selective; b) etching the at least one region to selectively manufacture the resonator.

An electromechanical systems structure including: providing a stack, including a structural layer extending in a plane, a sidewall layer including a first portion lying in a plane parallel to the structural layer plane and a second portion lying in a plane transverse to the structural layer plane, an etch-stop layer, positioned between the sidewall layer and the structural layer, including an etch-selectivity different from an etch-selectivity of the structural layer and an etch-selectivity of the sidewall layer, and a mold comprising a wall parallel to the sidewall layer's second portion; etching the sidewall layer's first portion to expose the etch-stop layer; removing the mold; etching the etch-stop layer such that the sidewall layer's second portion masks a portion of the etch-stop layer; removing the sidewall layer's second portion; and etching the structural layer such that the portion of the etch-stop layer masks a portion of the structural layer.

A bio-sensing semiconductor structure is provided. A transistor includes a channel region and a gate underlying the channel region. A first dielectric layer overlies the transistor. A first opening extends through the first dielectric layer to expose the channel region. A bio-sensing layer lines the first opening and covers an upper surface of the channel region. A second dielectric layer lines the first opening over the bio-sensing layer. A second opening within the first opening extends to the bio-sensing layer, through a region of the second dielectric layer overlying the channel region. A method for manufacturing the bio-sensing semiconductor structure is also provided.

A method of forming a micromechanical structure comprising, forming a sacrificial layer on a surface and walls of a trench in a substrate; depositing a structural layer over the sacrificial layer, extending into the trench, selectively etching the structural layer to define a pattern having a boundary, at least a portion of the structural layer overlying a respective portion of the trench being removed and at least a portion of the structural layer extending into the trench being preserved at the boundary; and removing at least a portion of the sacrificial layer from underneath the structural layer, prior to removal of at least a portion of the sacrificial layer extending into the trench at the structural boundary. A micromechanical structure formed by the method is also provided.