Hi! Is silicon inert? i.e. can I clean it from deposited films with e.g. HNO3 and H2SO4 without etching the silicon itself? What about amorphous carbon?
Common etches for Si are HF and caustics (NaOH, KOH). Nitric or sulfuric acid should be fine for cleaning it. Amorphous carbon electrodes I used to physically etch with "sandpaper" and routinely used them in HCLO4, HCl, HNO3 etc.