Optimization of the Monte Carlo Simulation for Sapphire in Wet Etching
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The work presented in this manuscript is interesting and can be accepted after minor corrections.
1. Abstract need to be revised focusing what is new and achievements in numbers.
2. Introduction need to be enriched with recent reported potential papers in the last three years (2020-2022).
3. Quality of figures need to be improved.
Author Response
Response to Reviewer 1
The work presented in this manuscript is interesting and can be accepted after minor corrections.
Response: Thanks very much for your positive feedbacks on our manuscript.
- Abstract need to be revised focusing what is new and achievements in numbers.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. The abstract has been rewritten.
- Introduction need to be enriched with recent reported potential papers in the last three years (2020-2022).
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. Six references have been added in the manuscript.
[8] Zhang L Y, Yuan Z Y, Jiang S D, Shen H X, Cao F Y, Ning Z L, Huang Y J, Xing D W, Zuo H B, Han J C and Sun J F 2020 Cavity etching evolution on the A-plane of sapphire crystal in molten KOH etchant J. Cryst. Growth 552 125926
[9] Zhang L Y, Yuan Z Y, Shen H X, Jiang S D, Cao F Y, Ning Z L, Xing D W, Zuo H B, Huang Y J, Han J C and Sun J F 2021 Etching Behaviors of Sapphire's C- Plane Cavity Surf. Sci. 707 121805
[17] Yan T Y, Ji L F and Hong M H. 2022 Backside wet etching of sapphire substrate by laser-induced carbothermal reduction Opt. Laser Technol. 149 107900
[22] Gorbunov, S A, Babaev, P A, Rymzhanov, R A, Volkov, A E and Voronkov, R A 2023 Atomistic Model of Wet Chemical Etching of Swift Heavy Ion Tracks J. Phys. Chem. C 127 5090-5097
[23] Jiang X L, Wu L X, Yang K, Liu T X, Liao W, Zhang C C, Zhang L J, Liu Y and Jiang X D 2021 Kinetic etch front instability responsible for roughness formation in plasma etching Appl. Surf Sci. 543 148862
[24] Valentin, A, Brinza, O, Farhat, S, Achard, J and Benedic, F 2022 3D kinetic Monte-Carlo simulations of diamond growth on (100) surfaces Diam. Relat. Mater. 123 108865
- Quality of figures need to be improved.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. I'm sorry that this manuscript gave you a poor reading experience. Although the simulated results of the etch rate distribution (such as Figures 3, 4,10 and 11) are slightly worse visually, it can truly reflect our simulation results. The quality of figures is not related to the format they are saved in.
Thank you once more for your interest, time and effort. Your feedbacks have been valuable to improve a number of aspects of the initial manuscript.
Reviewer 2 Report
The manuscript is entitled “Optimization of the Monte Carlo simulation for sapphire in the wet etching". Authors have reported in this research optimization of the Monte Carlo simulation for sapphire in the wet etching, which shows potential for other crystal materials. However, there are some points that need to be corrected. Therefore, recommended the publication of this paper after minor revision.
Abstract
The first sentence of the abstract section should be impressive and generally cover the content. Then, the content of the study should be mentioned. Then, please make the necessary corrections.
The abstract should be expanded. First, the analysis should be briefly mentioned. Afterward, the future usage areas or the contribution to science should be discussed with the analysis results.
Introduction
Line 50: Put a space between the words Kb and parameter.
Line 51: Remove the spaces in the parentheses where ε's are used.
Line 57: Use the abbreviation for "removal probability equation".
Line 77,80: Use the abbreviation for " modified removal probability equation".
Experimental
The crystallography zone types in line 108 can be written in the order <1 1 -2 0> and <-1 1 0 0> because figure d represents the <1 1 -2 0> zone. If it is necessary to write in order, it can be done in order as specified.
Conclusion
Line 295,298,301,: Use the abbreviation for "extended removal probability equation".
Line 302,304,305: Use the abbreviation for " modified removal probability equation".
In the conclusion part of the article, the results of the study should be expressed in general sentences. In addition, the contribution of the study to science should be mentioned. In addition, the conclusion part should consist of a single paragraph. Please make the necessary changes.
Author Response
Response to Reviewer 2
The manuscript is entitled “Optimization of the Monte Carlo simulation for sapphire in the wet etching". Authors have reported in this research optimization of the Monte Carlo simulation for sapphire in the wet etching, which shows potential for other crystal materials. However, there are some points that need to be corrected. Therefore, recommended the publication of this paper after minor revision.
Response: Thanks very much for your positive feedbacks on our manuscript.
Abstract
The first sentence of the abstract section should be impressive and generally cover the content. Then, the content of the study should be mentioned. Then, please make the necessary corrections.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. The abstract has been rewritten.
The abstract should be expanded. First, the analysis should be briefly mentioned. Afterward, the future usage areas or the contribution to science should be discussed with the analysis results.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. The abstract has been rewritten.
Introduction
Line 50: Put a space between the words Kb and parameter.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. It has been modified.
Line 51: Remove the spaces in the parentheses where ε's are used.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. It has been modified.
Line 57: Use the abbreviation for "removal probability equation".
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. It has been modified.
Line 77,80: Use the abbreviation for "modified removal probability equation".
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. They have been modified.
Experimental
The crystallography zone types in line 108 can be written in the order <1 1 -2 0> and <-1 1 0 0> because figure d represents the <1 1 -2 0> zone. If it is necessary to write in order, it can be done in order as specified.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. They have been modified.
Conclusion
Line 295,298,301,: Use the abbreviation for "extended removal probability equation".
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. They have been modified.
Line 302,304,305: Use the abbreviation for "modified removal probability equation".
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. They have been modified.
In the conclusion part of the article, the results of the study should be expressed in general sentences. In addition, the contribution of the study to science should be mentioned. In addition, the conclusion part should consist of a single paragraph. Please make the necessary changes.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. The conclusion has been modified.
Thank you once more for your interest, time and effort. Your feedbacks have been valuable to improve a number of aspects of the initial manuscript.
Reviewer 3 Report
My comments are in the attached pdf file.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
Response to Reviewer 3
After carefully reading the proposed paper, this paper contains an interesting proposal; my overall impression is that the manuscript presents some results that could be useful in practice. I have a good opinion about this work and recommend its acceptance after addressing the following aspects.
Response: Thanks very much for your positive feedbacks on our manuscript.
My comments are:
- The Abstract is very general. It is necessary to mention a brief description of the content of the manuscript in a clear and concise manner so that the reader can understand the content of the manuscript.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. The abstract has been rewritten.
- In general, it is usual that section of the introduction presents (in the following order) the topic, motivations of the work, bibliographical review, objectives, the novelty of the manuscript, and description of its sections, with no formulas, which can be moved to a section of background on the topic. This organization must be considered in the revised manuscript.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. The motivation of this manuscript is to propose optimization methods based on the previous Monte Carlo simulation results, further improving the accuracy and efficiency of simulation results. The introduction has been modified.
- Some keywords should be added.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. Keywords have been added in the manuscript.
- In equations 1 to 11, the authors used the multiplication sign "×" and ".", Only one sign should be used.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. They have been modified.
- In the end of the equation 5, the "." must be added.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. It has been modified.
- The quality of all Figures is very poor, these figures must be saved in eps extension.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. I'm sorry that this manuscript gave you a poor reading experience. Although the simulated results of the etch rate distribution (such as Figures 3, 4,10 and 11) are slightly worse visually, it can truly reflect our simulation results. The quality of figures is not related to the format they are saved in.
- More information around Figures 1 and 2 should be reported.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. More information around Figure 1 (about the simplification of the atomic structure of sapphire) can be shown in reference [15]. More information around Figure 2 can be shown in the added Table 2.
- In Monte Carlo simulation study, if the authors repeat the simulation study, they will get the same results?
Response: Yes. Thanks for your concern.
- What is the importance of studying Monte Carlo simulation study? Is it possible to study real data in addition to Monte Carlo simulation study?
Response: The Monte Carlo simulation can simulate full etch rates under different temperature conditions based on the experimental etch rates of some typical crystallographic planes under one temperature condition, so as to realize the simulation of the etched structures and morphologies under different temperature conditions. Yes, it is possible to study the formation and evolution of etched structures and morphologies based on the full experimental etch rates.
10.Have estimator properties such as bias and consistency been studied?
Response: Small errors (figures 10 and 11) between simulated rates and experimental rates under different temperature conditions verify the effectiveness of the modified removal probability equation (ME-RPE) for temperature change.
11.The authors must provide more details about the computational framework used in the manuscript. For example, software and packages used, features of the computer employed, runtimes, and other computational aspects must be added.
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. The software used in the paper is C++, and the computer employed consists of an Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-10400F CPU @ 2.90GHz processor, a RAM (DDR4) of 16 GB and an AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP graphics card (the graphics card is not related to the Monte Carlo simulation). These computational aspects have been added in the manuscript in Page 5.
12.The conclusions need to be improved. Also, the authors must add limitations to the study and more ideas for further research. Then, I suggest titling the final section as "Conclusions, limitations, and future research".
Response: Thanks for your suggestion. The conclusions have been modified.
Thank you once more for your interest, time and effort. Your feedbacks have been valuable to improve a number of aspects of the initial manuscript.
