Etch Characteristics of GaN using Inductively Coupled Cl{sub 2} Plasma Etching

Journal Article · Tue May 20 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2940659· OSTI ID:21143312

Rosli, Siti Azlina; Aziz, A Abdul ^[1]

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1. Nano Optoelectronics Research and Technology Laboratory (N.O.R) School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Pulau Pinang (Malaysia)

In this study, the plasma characteristics and GaN etch properties of inductively coupled Cl{sub 2}/Ar plasmas were investigated. It has shown that the results of a study of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching of gallium nitride by using Cl{sub 2}/Ar is possible to meet the requirement (anisotropy, high etch rate and high selectivity), simultaneously. We have investigated the etching rate dependency on the percentage of Argon in the gas mixture, the total pressure and DC voltage. We found that using a gas mixture with 20 sccm of Ar, the optimum etch rate of GaN was achieved. The etch rate were found to increase with voltage, attaining a maximum rate 2500 A/min at -557 V. The addition of an inert gas, Ar is found to barely affect the etch rate. Surface morphology of the etched samples was verified by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. It was found that the etched surface was anisotropic and the smoothness of the etched surface is comparable to that of polished wafer.

• OSTI ID: 21143312
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 1017; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANISOTROPY
ARGON
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
CHLORINE
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ETCHING
GALLIUM NITRIDES
MIXTURES
MORPHOLOGY
PLASMA
ROUGHNESS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SURFACES