Investigation of plasma etch induced damage in compound semiconductor devices

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology, A (Vacuum, Surfaces and Films); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.579320· OSTI ID:7079711

Shul, R J; Lovejoy, M L; Hetherington, D L; Rieger, D J; Vawter, G A; Klem, J F ^[1]; Melloch, M R ^[2]

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1. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States)
2. School of Electrical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 (United States)

We have investigated the electrical performance of mesa-isolated GaAs [ital pn]-junction diodes to determine the plasma-induced damage effects from reactive ion and reactive ion beam etching (RIBE). A variety of plasma chemistries (SiCl[sub 4], BCl[sub 3], BCl[sub 3]/Cl[sub 2], and Cl[sub 2]) and ion energies ranging from 100 to 400 eV were studied. We have observed that many of the reactive ion etching BCl[sub 3]/Cl[sub 2] plasmas and RIBE Cl[sub 2] plasmas yield diodes with low reverse-bias currents that are comparable to the electrical characteristics of wet-chemical-etched devices. The reverse-bias leakage currents are independent of surface morphology and sidewall profiles.

• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 7079711
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology, A (Vacuum, Surfaces and Films); (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology, A (Vacuum, Surfaces and Films); (United States) Vol. 12:4; ISSN 0734-2101; ISSN JVTAD6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

665000* -- Physics of Condensed Matter-- (1992-)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
BEAMS
BORON CHLORIDES
BORON COMPOUNDS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY RANGE
ETCHING
EV RANGE
EV RANGE 100-1000
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HALOGENS
ION BEAMS
JUNCTION DIODES
JUNCTIONS
NONMETALS
P-N JUNCTIONS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PLASMA
PNICTIDES
RADIATION EFFECTS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SILICON CHLORIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON HALIDES
SURFACE FINISHING