DRY-ETCHING OF INDIUM AND TIN OXYDES

An etch method includes providing a material layer consisting essentially of a group member selected from the group consisting of an indium oxide (InO), a tin oxide (SnO), a mixture of indium and tin oxides, a compound of indium and of tin and of oxygen having the general formulation InxSnyOz where z is substantially greater than zero but less than 100% and where the sum x+y fills the remainder of the 100%, and a mixture of the preceding ones of the group members. A reactive gas including a halogen-containing compound and an oxygen-containing compound is supplied to a vicinity of the material layer. Also, an electric field is supplied to react the supplied reactive gas with the material layer so as to form volatile byproducts of reactive gas and the material layer.