MICROELECTRONIC SUBSTRATE HAVING CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL WITH BLUNT CORNERED APERTURES, AND ASSOCIATED METHODS FOR REMOVING CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL

摘要

A microelectronic substrate and method for removing conductive material from a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the microelectronic substrate includes a conductive or semiconductive material with a recess having an initially sharp corner at the surface of the conductive material. The corner can be blunted or rounded, for example, by applying a voltage to an electrode in fluid communication with an electrolytic fluid disposed adjacent to the corner. Electrical current flowing through the corner from the electrode can oxidize the conductive material at the corner, and the oxidized material can be removed with a chemical etch process.