Investigation of reactive ion etching induced damage in GaAs--AlGaAs quantum well structures

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · J. Vac. Sci. Technol., B; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.584142· OSTI ID:6661880

Wong, H F; Green, D L; Liu, T Y; Lishan, D G; Bellis, M; Hu, E L; Petroff, P M; Holtz, P O; Merz, J L

We report on the use of a novel technique to study reactive ion etching (RIE) induced damage using multiple quantum wells of 20-, 40-, 60-, and 90-A widths as in situ probes. Cathodoluminescence (CL) at low temperature, using a finely focused electron beam, allows sensitive determination of the quality of individual quantum wells before and after RIE damage. There is a correspondence between individual luminescence peaks and the depth of the particular quantum well. We can therefore use the CL spectral information to provide a sensitive profile of the depth of RIE induced damage. Various etching conditions and the effects of postetch anneals are examined. Pure Ar sputtering and enhanced chemical etching using CCl/sub 2/F/sub 2//BCl/sub 3/ at different bias voltages are investigated. Our results reveal that the degree and spatial extent of damage increase with increasing ion energy and decreasing ion mass.

• Research Organization: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106
• OSTI ID: 6661880
• Journal Information: J. Vac. Sci. Technol., B; (United States), Journal Name: J. Vac. Sci. Technol., B; (United States) Vol. 6:6; ISSN JVTBD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360605* -- Materials-- Radiation Effects
ALUMINIUM ARSENIDES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
BORON CHLORIDES
BORON COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON FLUORIDES
CATHODOLUMINESCENCE
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COLLISIONS
DAMAGE
ETCHING
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ION COLLISIONS
LUMINESCENCE
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PNICTIDES
RADIATION EFFECTS
SPUTTERING
SURFACE FINISHING