Editing Isotropy (section)

===[[Etching (microfabrication) | Microfabrication]]===
In industrial processes, such as [[etching]] steps, "isotropic" means that the process proceeds at the same rate, regardless of direction. Simple chemical reaction and removal of a substrate by an acid, a solvent or a reactive gas is often very close to isotropic. Conversely, "anisotropic" means that the attack rate of the substrate is higher in a certain direction. Anisotropic etch processes, where vertical etch-rate is high but lateral etch-rate is very small, are essential processes in [[microfabrication]] of [[integrated circuits]] and [[Microelectromechanical systems|MEMS]] devices.