Dry Etching Techniques and Chemistries for III-V Semiconductors

1990 ◽  
Vol 216 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Pearton
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Etching ◽  
Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
Electron Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
Surface Damage ◽  
Dry Etching ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Lattice Disorder ◽  
Ecr Plasma ◽  
Surface Morphologies

ABSTRACTDry etching of HI-V materials using both Cl-based (CCl2F2, SiCl4, BCl3, Cl2) and CH4/H2 discharges will be reviewed. The etch rates using chlorine-based mixtures are generally faster than those utilizing CH4/H2, but the latter gives smoother surface morphologies for In-containing compounds. The use of microwave (2.45 GHz) electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) discharges minimizes the depth of lattice disorder resulting from dry etching, relative to conventional RF (13.56 MHz) discharges. Recent results on the systematics of ECR plasma etching of both In- and Ga-based III-V semiconductors using CCl2F2/O2 and CH4/H2 mixtures will be discussed, including the determination of the maximum self-biases allowable which do not induce near-surface damage to the semiconductor. A further key issue is the prevention of changes in the surface stoichiometry of materials such as InP, where the lattice constituents may have considerably different volatilities in the particular discharge.

HI/H2 ECR Plasma Etching of III-V Semiconductors

1992 ◽  
Vol 268 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Pearton ◽  
U. K. Chakrabarti ◽  
A. Katz ◽  
F. Ren ◽  
T. R. Fullowan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Etching ◽  
Electron Spectroscopy ◽  
Dry Etching ◽  
Hydrogen Passivation ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Ecr Plasma ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Polymer Deposition ◽  
Etch Rates ◽  
Surface Morphologies

ABSTRACTHI/H2/Ar discharges are shown to be universal etchants for rn-V semiconductors, giving rise to highly anisotropic features with smooth surface morphologies. At loy dc self bia:s (-100V) and low pressure (1 mTorr), etch rates for all III-V materials of >2000Å min−1 are possible for high HI percentages in the discharges, whereas rates greater than 1 Åm min−1 are obtained at higher pressures and dc biases. These etch rates are approximately an order of magnitude faster than for CH4/H2/Ar mixtures under the same conditions and there is no polymer deposition on the mask or within the reactor chamber with HI/H2/Ar. Auger Electron Spectroscopy reveals residue-free, stoichiometric surfaces after dry etching in this mixture. As i result, photoluminescence intensities from dry etched samples remain high with little apparent damage introduction. Changes in the near-surface carrier concentration due to hydrogen passivation effects are also negligible with HI-based mixtures in comparison to CH4-based dry etching.

Dry Etching of InGaP and AlInP in CH4/H2/Ar

1996 ◽  
Vol 421 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Lee ◽  
S. J. Pearton ◽  
C. J. Santana ◽  
E. S. Lambers ◽  
C. R. Abernathy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Etching ◽  
Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
Electron Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Ecr Plasma ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Etch Stop ◽  
Etch Rates ◽  
Ecr Plasma Etching

AbstractElectron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) plasma etching with additional if-biasing produces etch rates ≥ 2,500Å/min for InGaP and AlInP in CH4/H2/Ar. These rates are an order of magnitude or much higher than for reactive ion etching conditions (RIE) carried out in the same reactor. N2 addition to CH4/H2/Ar can enhance the InGaP etch rates at low flow rates, while at higher concentrations it provides an etch-stop reaction. The InGaP and AtlnP etched under ECR conditions have somewhat rougher morphologies and different stoichiometries up to ˜200Å from the surface relative to the RIE samples.

Vacuum Integrated Fabrication of Buried Heterostructure Edge Emitting Laser Diodes

1993 ◽  
Vol 300 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hong ◽  
D. Vahkshoori ◽  
L. H. Grober ◽  
J. P. Mannaerts ◽  
S. N. G. Chu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
Laser Diodes ◽  
Surface Damage ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Molecular Beam Epitaxial ◽  
Ecr Plasma ◽  
Native Oxides ◽  
Chemical Etch ◽  
Buried Heterostructure

ABSTRACTWe describe an in-situ fabrication process which combines electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma H2 to clean native oxides, ECR SiCl4 to etch anisotropically, a brief Cl2 chemical etch to remove any near surface damage and contamination, and molecular beam epitaxial (MBE) regrowth. We report the first buried heterostructure (BH) AlGaAs/GaAs/InGaAs edge emitting laser diodes fabricated using this in-situ process. The lasers operate in continuous mode without noticeable degradation.

Spectroscopic Ellipsometry Study of HgCdTe Epilayer Surfaces During Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma Etching

1996 ◽  
Vol 450 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. N. Johnson ◽  
J. H. Dinan ◽  
K. M. Singley ◽  
M. Martinka ◽  
B. Johs
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Etching ◽  
Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽  
Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
Electron Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
Surface Region ◽  
Auger Spectroscopy ◽  
Electron Cyclotron ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Process Conditions ◽  
Near Surface

ABSTRACTSpectroscopie ellipsometry has been used to monitor optical characteristics of HgCdTe surfaces during plasma etching in an electron cyclotron resonance reactor. Commonly used process conditions were found to induce changes in the ellipsometric parameters Δ and φ. A model was constructed to account for these changes in terms of process-induced roughness and mercury depleted sub-surface layers An independent characterization of the near-surface region was earned out ex situ after etching using Auger spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Plasma process parameters were varied to isolate their influence on surface conditions and a set of parameters is given for which changes are minimized.

Near‐surface damage and contamination of silicon following electron cyclotron resonance etching

1990 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 2939-2944 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Yapsir ◽  
G. Fortuño‐Wiltshire ◽  
J. P. Gambino ◽  
R. H. Kastl ◽  
C. C. Parks
Keyword(s):  
Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
Electron Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
Surface Damage ◽  
Electron Cyclotron ◽  
Near Surface

Electron cyclotron resonance etching characteristics of GaN in plasmas with and without hydrogen

1995 ◽  
Vol 395 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Zhang ◽  
J. Ramer ◽  
J. Brown ◽  
K. Zheng ◽  
L.F. Lester ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
Etch Rate ◽  
Electron Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
Defect Density ◽  
Dry Etching ◽  
Electron Cyclotron ◽  
Ecr Plasma ◽  
Good Surface ◽  
Dc Bias ◽  
Gate Recess

ABSTRACTElectron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma etching characteristics of gallium nitride (GaN) are investigated using low pressure (4-10 mTorr) SiCl4/Ar and Cl2/H2/Ar ECR discharges. The purpose of this effort is to develop a dry etching process for making laser mirrors on GaN and to examine dry etching processes of GaN that do not require hydrogen, which is known to cause carrier compensation in GaN. The etch rate is found to increase near-linearly with increasing DC bias, and a minimum DC bias of 100V is required to initiate etching in SiCl4/Ar. We have also found that the material quality significantly affects the etch rate. The latter decreases with x-ray rocking curve half-width and increases with defect density. A reasonable etch rate of 660Ǻ/min and good surface morphologies obtained in SiCl/Ar ECR etching make this process suitable for gate recess of an FET. An etch rate of 5270Ǻ/min has been achieved in Cl2/H2/Ar plasmas. This is the highest reported etch rate of GaN so far. The smooth and vertical etch sidewalls (etch to mask selectivity of 16 is obtained) make this process promising for dry-etched laser mirrors on GaN.

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