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Fine resolution etching of stainless steel

2002

I am trying to chemically etch fine features (60um line widths with 40um spacings) into a 25um thick piece of 302 stainless steel film that is mounted on a PTFE substrate for an electronics application. I am having a tough time getting the required resolution in Stainless Steel that I could get in Copper sheet. I am using Ferric Chloride as my etchant.

Is this a fundamental problem of the alloy vs. a single element metal, or should there be a way to accomplish what I am trying to do?

What would be the optimal grade of SS to use for fine resolution chemical etching?

Jason White
- Atlanta, GA, USA

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