Effect of Inert Gas Additive Species on Cl(2) High Density Plasma Etching of Compound Semiconductors: Part 1. GaAs and GaSb

Journal Article · Tue Dec 22 23:00:00 EST 1998 · Applied Surface Sciences

OSTI ID:2789

Abernathy, C R ^[1]; Cho, H; Hahn, Y B; Hays, D C; Jung, K B; Pearton, S J; Shul, R J

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1. Sandia National Laboratories

The role of the inert gas additive (He, Ar, Xe) to C12 Inductively Coupled Plasmas for dry etching of GaAs and GaSb was examined through the effect on etch rate, surface roughness and near-surface stoichiometry. The etch rates for both materials go through a maximum with Clz 0/0 in each type of discharge (C12/'He, C12/Ar, C12/Xc), reflecting the need to have efficient ion-assisted resorption of the etch products. Etch yields initially increase strongly with source power as the chlorine neutral density increases, but decrease again at high powers as the etching becomes reactant-limited. The etched surfaces are generally smoother with Ax or Xe addition, and maintain their stoichiometry.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 2789
• Report Number(s): SAND98-2877J; ON: DE00002789
• Journal Information: Applied Surface Sciences, Journal Name: Applied Surface Sciences
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
66 PHYSICS
Etching
Gallium Antimonides
Gallium Arsenides