Investigation of InP etching mechanisms in a Cl{sub 2}/H{sub 2} inductively coupled plasma by optical emission spectroscopy

Journal Article · Sun Mar 15 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.3071950· OSTI ID:21195002

Gatilova, L; Bouchoule, S; Guilet, S; Chabert, P ^[1]

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1. Laboratoire de Photonique et de Nanostructures (LPN), CNRS, Route de Nozay, 91460 Marcoussis (France)

Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) has been used in order to investigate the InP etching mechanisms in a Cl{sub 2}-H{sub 2} inductively coupled plasma. The authors have previously shown that anisotropic etching of InP could be achieved for a H{sub 2} percentage in the 35%-45% range where the InP etch rate also presents a local maximum [J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 24, 2381 (2006)], and that anisotropic etching was due to an enhanced passivation of the etched sidewalls by a silicon oxide layer [J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 26, 666 (2008)]. In this work, it is shown that this etching behavior is related to a maximum in the H atom concentration in the plasma. The possible enhancement of the sidewall passivation process in the presence of H is investigated by comparing OES measurements and etching results obtained for Cl{sub 2}-H{sub 2} and Cl{sub 2}-Ar gas mixtures.

• OSTI ID: 21195002
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Journal Name: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 27; ISSN 1553-1813
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANISOTROPY
CHLORINE
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
ETCHING
HYDROGEN
INDIUM PHOSPHIDES
LAYERS
MIXTURES
PASSIVATION
PLASMA
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON OXIDES
SPUTTERING