Photoelectrochemical etching of epitaxial InGaN thin films: Self-limited kinetics and nanostructuring

Xiao, Xiaoyin; Fischer, Arthur J.; Coltrin, Michael E.; Lu, Ping; Koleske, Daniel D.; Wang, George T.; Polsky, Ronen; Tsao, Jeffrey Y.

doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2014.10.085

Photoelectrochemical etching of epitaxial InGaN thin films: Self-limited kinetics and nanostructuring

Journal Article · Wed Oct 22 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Electrochimica Acta

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2014.10.085· OSTI ID:1183105

Xiao, Xiaoyin ^[1]; Fischer, Arthur J. ^[1]; Coltrin, Michael E. ^[1]; Lu, Ping ^[1]; Koleske, Daniel D. ^[1]; Wang, George T. ^[1]; Polsky, Ronen ^[1]; Tsao, Jeffrey Y. ^[1]

Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

We report here the characteristics of photoelectrochemical (PEC) etching of epitaxial InGaN semiconductor thin films using narrowband lasers with linewidth less than ~1 nm. In the initial stages of PEC etching, when the thin film is flat, characteristic voltammogram shapes are observed. At low photo-excitation rates, voltammograms are S-shaped, indicating the onset of a voltage-independent rate-limiting process associated with electron-hole-pair creation and/or annihilation. At high photo-excitation rates, voltammograms are superlinear in shape, indicating, for the voltage ranges studied here, a voltage-dependent rate-limiting process associated with surface electrochemical oxidation. As PEC etching proceeds, the thin film becomes rough at the nanoscale, and ultimately evolves into an ensemble of nanoparticles. As a result, this change in InGaN film volume and morphology leads to a characteristic dependence of PEC etch rate on time: an incubation time, followed by a rise, then a peak, then a slow decay.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). EFRC for Solid State Lighting Science (SSLS)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC04-94AL85000

OSTI ID:: 1183105

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1168372
OSTI ID: 22463151
OSTI ID: 1246999
OSTI ID: 1384384

Report Number(s):: SAND--2014-17107J; 537067

Journal Information:: Electrochimica Acta, Journal Name: Electrochimica Acta Journal Issue: C Vol. 162; ISSN 0013-4686

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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