Etch masks of semimetallic amorphous carbon thin films produced by electron-beam sublimation of graphitic carbon

Conference · · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. B, Microelectronics Processing and Phenomena; (United States)

OSTI ID:6204960

Porkolab, G A; Wolf, E D ^[1]

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1. Cornell Univ. Ithaca, NY (United States)

Smoothness of etched facets at all angles is a critical requirement for photonic devices in such materials as AlGaAs/GaAs which are etched at variable angles by directed ion beam/reactive gas etching systems such as chemically assisted ion beam etching (CAIBE). Semimetallic amorphous carbon thin films have been found to produce excellent etched facets that are smoother than those etched with other mask materials. This material also exhibits very low CAIBE etch rates and very low chemical reactivity with substrate materials such as AlGaAs/GaAs or silicon. The semimetallic amorphous carbon was deposited up to 400 nm thick by electron beam sublimation of graphitic carbon onto substrates such as polished wafers of GaAs, Si, Ge, and onto glass. The electron-beam sublimation deposited (EBSD) semimetallic amorphous carbon, EBSD semimetallic a-C, can be patterned directly by SF[sub 6] reactive ion etcher via a standard photoresist mask, it can be used as an etch mask in CAIBE systems, and it can be stripped clean in hydrogen or oxygen plasmas. Etch rate selectivities of approximately 301 of (AlGaAs):(EBSD semimetallic a-C) were observed in CAIBE experiments. The EBSD semimetallic a-C is being used as the etch mask in a self-aligned four-CAIBE steps process to microfabricate surface-emitting high-power single-mode AlGaAs/GaAs laser arrays. 32 refs., 3 figs.

• OSTI ID: 6204960
• Report Number(s): CONF-920575--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. B, Microelectronics Processing and Phenomena; (United States) Journal Volume: 10:6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601* -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
360605 -- Materials-- Radiation Effects
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM ARSENIDES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
AMORPHOUS STATE
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CARBON
ELECTRON BEAM MACHINING
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
ETCHING
EVAPORATION
FILMS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
GERMANIUM
GLASS
GRAPHITE
INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
MACHINING
MASKING
METALS
MINERALS
NONMETALS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PNICTIDES
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SUBLIMATION
SUBSTRATES
SURFACE FINISHING
THIN FILMS