Provided are a method and system for increasing etch rate and etch selectivity of a masking layer on a substrate in an etch treatment system, the etch treatment system configured for single substrate processing. The method comprises placing the substrate into the etch processing chamber, the substrate containing the masking layer and a layer of silicon or silicon oxide, obtaining a supply of steam water vapor mixture at elevated pressure, obtaining a supply of treatment liquid for selectively etching the masking layer over the silicon or silicon oxide at a selectivity ratio, combining the treatment liquid and the steam water vapor mixture, and injecting the combined treatment liquid and the steam water vapor mixture into the etch processing chamber. The flow of the combined treatment liquid and the steam water vapor mixture is controlled to maintain a target etch rate and a target etch selectivity ratio of the masking layer to the layer of silicon or silicon oxide.

A method for making a conductive film includes the steps of: depositing a conductive metal film on a substrate to form a metal-coated substrate; depositing a fiber pattern on the conductive metal film of the metal-coated substrate to form a masked substrate, the fiber pattern defining protected metal and exposed metal of the conductive metal film; removing the exposed metal from the conductive metal film of the masked substrate to form a protected conductive film; and removing the fiber pattern from the protected conductive film to expose the protected metal and provide a metal pattern on the substrate. An annealing step con be employed after depositing the fiber pattern to increase the surface area of contact between the fiber pattern and the conductive metal film.

A method for forming a cutting tool includes masking a metal base with one or more masks, the one or more masks including at least one variable permeability mask, and chemically etching the masked metal base to form a blade of the cutting tool.

A surface chemical treatment apparatus provided with: a first conduit having an opening at one end and communicating with a liquid supply means at the other end; a second conduit having at one end an opening that surrounds the opening of the first conduit and communicating with a liquid suction means at the other end; and a moving mechanism for moving the openings of the first and second conduits relative to the solid phase surface, so as to make a surface chemical treatment possible in a fine pattern by allowing the patterning solution to be dispensed through the opening of the first conduit while allowing the solution to be suctioned up together with the surrounding liquid phase or gas phase medium through the opening of the second conduit that surrounds the opening of the first conduit and, thus, preventing seepage of the solution in all directions.

A method of forming a tapered tip of a polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber includes inserting a tip of the PM fiber into a first etchant solution characterized by a first etching rate for the core of the PM fiber and a second etching rate for the stress members of the PM fiber, the second etching rate being lower than the first etching rate, withdrawing the tip of the PM fiber from the first etchant solution at a withdrawal rate, immersing the tip of the PM fiber in a second etchant solution for a time duration. The second etchant solution is characterized by a third etching rate for the core and a fourth etching rate for the stress members, the fourth etching rate being greater than the third etching rate. The method further includes withdrawing the tip of the PM fiber from the second etchant solution.

A method of forming a tapered tip of a polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber includes inserting a tip of the PM fiber into a first etchant solution characterized by a first etching rate for the core of the PM fiber and a second etching rate for the stress members of the PM fiber, the second etching rate being lower than the first etching rate, withdrawing the tip of the PM fiber from the first etchant solution at a withdrawal rate, immersing the tip of the PM fiber in a second etchant solution for a time duration. The second etchant solution is characterized by a third etching rate for the core and a fourth etching rate for the stress members, the fourth etching rate being greater than the third etching rate. The method further includes withdrawing the tip of the PM fiber from the second etchant solution.

A method for adjusting an etchability of a first borosilicate glass by heating the first borosilicate glass; combining the first borosilicate glass with a second borosilicate glass to form a composite; and etching the composite with an etchant. A material having a protrusive phase and a recessive phase, where the protrusive phase protrudes from the recessive phase to form a plurality of nanoscale surface features, and where the protrusive phase and the recessive phase have the same composition.

A method for adjusting an etchability of a first borosilicate glass by heating the first borosilicate glass; combining the first borosilicate glass with a second borosilicate glass to form a composite; and etching the composite with an etchant. A material having a protrusive phase and a recessive phase, where the protrusive phase protrudes from the recessive phase to form a plurality of nanoscale surface features, and where the protrusive phase and the recessive phase have the same composition.

A microstructured multicore optical fibre (MMOF) includes a cladding in which a plurality of basic cells are formed that run along the MMOF. Each of the basic cells includes a core, and at least one of the basic cells is surrounded by a plurality of longitudinal areas that run parallel to the core along the MMOF and are arranged in a hexagonal arrangement around the core. The longitudinal areas are spaced by a lattice constant Λ. Sides of the hexagon can be shared with adjacent basic cells.

A microstructured multicore optical fibre (MMOF) includes a cladding in which a plurality of basic cells are formed that run along the MMOF. Each of the basic cells includes a core, and at least one of the basic cells is surrounded by a plurality of longitudinal areas that run parallel to the core along the MMOF and are arranged in a hexagonal arrangement around the core. The longitudinal areas are spaced by a lattice constant Λ. Sides of the hexagon can be shared with adjacent basic cells.