skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: KOH based selective wet chemical etching of AlN, AlxGa1-xN, and GaN crystals: A way towards substrate removal in deep ultraviolet-light emitting diode

Abstract

A controllable and smooth potassium hydroxide-based wet etching technique was developed for the AlGaN system. High selectivity between AlN and AlxGa1-xN (up to 12 x) was found to be critical in achieving effective substrate thinning or removal for AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet light emitting diodes, thus increasing light extraction efficiency. The mechanism of high selectivity of AlGaN as a function of Al composition can be explained as related to the formation and dissolution of oxide/hydroxide on top of N-polar surface. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopic analysis served as ultimate proof that these hillocks were not related to underlying threading dislocations. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
OSTI Identifier:
1211346
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AR0000299
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Applied Physics Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 106; Journal Issue: 8; Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Guo, W, Kirste, R, Bryan, I, Bryan, Z, Hussey, L, Reddy, P, Tweedie, J, Collazo, R, and Sitar, Z. KOH based selective wet chemical etching of AlN, AlxGa1-xN, and GaN crystals: A way towards substrate removal in deep ultraviolet-light emitting diode. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4913705.
Guo, W, Kirste, R, Bryan, I, Bryan, Z, Hussey, L, Reddy, P, Tweedie, J, Collazo, R, & Sitar, Z. KOH based selective wet chemical etching of AlN, AlxGa1-xN, and GaN crystals: A way towards substrate removal in deep ultraviolet-light emitting diode. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4913705
Guo, W, Kirste, R, Bryan, I, Bryan, Z, Hussey, L, Reddy, P, Tweedie, J, Collazo, R, and Sitar, Z. 2015. "KOH based selective wet chemical etching of AlN, AlxGa1-xN, and GaN crystals: A way towards substrate removal in deep ultraviolet-light emitting diode". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4913705.
@article{osti_1211346,
title = {KOH based selective wet chemical etching of AlN, AlxGa1-xN, and GaN crystals: A way towards substrate removal in deep ultraviolet-light emitting diode},
author = {Guo, W and Kirste, R and Bryan, I and Bryan, Z and Hussey, L and Reddy, P and Tweedie, J and Collazo, R and Sitar, Z},
abstractNote = {A controllable and smooth potassium hydroxide-based wet etching technique was developed for the AlGaN system. High selectivity between AlN and AlxGa1-xN (up to 12 x) was found to be critical in achieving effective substrate thinning or removal for AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet light emitting diodes, thus increasing light extraction efficiency. The mechanism of high selectivity of AlGaN as a function of Al composition can be explained as related to the formation and dissolution of oxide/hydroxide on top of N-polar surface. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopic analysis served as ultimate proof that these hillocks were not related to underlying threading dislocations. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4913705},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1211346}, journal = {Applied Physics Letters},
issn = {0003-6951},
number = 8,
volume = 106,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Feb 23 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Mon Feb 23 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}