BOE etches oxide, KOH etches silicon.  BOE etching of oxide is isotropic,
KOH etching of silicon is anisotropic.  Surface quality depends entirely on
etching parameters (concentration, temperature, agitation, surfactants,
etc.).  I would imagine that BOE surface quality is more dependent on the
surface quality of the silicon beneath the oxide than of the oxide itself...

--
Brian C. Stahl
Graduate Student Researcher
UCSB Materials Research Laboratory
brian.stahl@gmail.com / bstahl@mrl.ucsb.edu
Cell: (805) 748-5839
Office: MRL 3117A


On Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 10:28 AM, Nathan McCorkle  wrote:

> How does KOH compare to BOE in surface quality? Is one more or less
> isotropic?