High temperature electron cyclotron resonance etching of GaN, InN, and AlN
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States)
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 (United States)
Electron cyclotron resonance etch rates for GaN, InN, and AlN are reported as a function of temperature for Cl{sub 2}/H{sub 2}/CH{sub 4}/Ar and Cl{sub 2}/H{sub 2}/Ar plasmas. Using Cl{sub 2}/H{sub 2}/CH{sub 4}/Ar plasma chemistry, GaN etch rates remain relatively constant from 30 to 125 {degree}C and then increase to a maximum of 2340 A/min at 170 {degree}C. The InN etch rate decreases monotonically from 30 to 150 {degree}C and then rapidly increases to a maximum of 2300 A/min at 170 {degree}C. This is the highest etch rate reported for this material. The AlN etch rate decreases throughout the temperature range studied with a maximum of 960 A/min at 30 {degree}C. When CH{sub 4} is removed from the plasma chemistry, the GaN and InN etch rates are slightly lower, with less dramatic changes with temperature. The surface composition of the III--V nitrides remains unchanged after exposure to the Cl{sub 2}/H{sub 2}/CH{sub 4}/Ar plasma over the temperatures studied.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 26029
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 66, Issue 14; Other Information: PBD: 3 Apr 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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