--- title: HF Etching description: HF Etching - Etching with hydrofluoric acid • Buffered HF etching image: https://www.thierry-corp.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/plasma-activation-of-medical-test-swabs-Aug-17-2021-04-04-16-97-AM.png --- ![search_icon](https://www.thierry-corp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Thierry_Aug20/search.png?width=18&height=18&name=search.png) [![login](https://www.thierry-corp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Thierry_Aug20/log_in.png?width=28&height=28&name=log_in.png) Thierry Germany](https://www.thierry-gmbh.de/en/) [![logo](https://www.thierry-corp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Thierry_Aug20/logo.png?width=193&height=67&name=logo.png "logo")](https://www.thierry-corp.com/?hsLang=en) [**Shop for OEM Masters**](https://store.thierry-corp.com/store/) [**REQUEST A QUOTE**](https://www.thierry-corp.com/plasma/request-plasma-system-quotation?hsLang=en) ##### [Knowledge Base](https://www.thierry-corp.com/plasma-knowledgebase) ##### [Overview Etching](https://www.thierry-corp.com/plasma-knowledgebase-blog/tag/Overview-Etching?hsLang=en) ##### HF Etching ![HF Etching](https://www.thierry-corp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/plasma-activation-of-medical-test-swabs-Aug-17-2021-04-04-16-97-AM.png?length=500&name=plasma-activation-of-medical-test-swabs-Aug-17-2021-04-04-16-97-AM.png) # HF Etching HF Etching - Etching with hydrofluoric acid • Buffered HF etching **HF etching** is a form of wet etching that uses hydrofluoric acid to etch out surfaces rather than using a dry plasma process.  **HF etching** is capable of etching materials such as amorphous silicon dioxide; quartz and glass at very high etch rates. Since  **HF etching** is a wet process, meaning that it uses chemicals, it creates an [isotropic etch](https://www.thierry-corp.com/plasma-knowledgebase/isotropic-etching?hsLang=en). This means that there are curved etched out sections under the etching mask. This is usually not a desirable result because most microfabrication processes require anisotropic etches that [plasma etching](https://www.thierry-corp.com/plasma-technology/applications/plasma-etching?hsLang=en) is capable of achieving. ### Buffered HF Etching Buffered  **HF etching** is a commonly used technique in microfabrication. Buffered  **HF etching**, also known as Buffered Oxide etching, uses a mixture of a buffering agent like ammonium fluoride and hydrofluoric acid. Adding the buffering agent to the  **HF etchant** allows for a more precise etch. Regular  **HF etching** reacts too quickly for good control and causes the photoresist etching mask to peel. Buffered  **HF etching** is predominantly used for etching wafers of silicon dioxide or silicon nitride as a part of the integrated circuit fabrication process. To learn more about etching, check out our eBook titled "[Plasma Etching and Cleaning Strategy for Better Product Quality](https://www.thierry-corp.com/plasma-etching-and-cleaning-strategy-for-better-product-quality?hsLang=en)." 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