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Title: Photoelectrochemical etching of epitaxial InGaN thin films: Self-limited kinetics and nanostructuring

Journal Article · · Electrochimica Acta
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
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We report here the characteristics of photoelectrochemical (PEC) etching of epitaxial InGaN semiconductor thin films using narrowband lasers with linewidth less than ~1 nm. In the initial stages of PEC etching, when the thin film is flat, characteristic voltammogram shapes are observed. At low photo-excitation rates, voltammograms are S-shaped, indicating the onset of a voltage-independent rate-limiting process associated with electron-hole-pair creation and/or annihilation. At high photo-excitation rates, voltammograms are superlinear in shape, indicating, for the voltage ranges studied here, a voltage-dependent rate-limiting process associated with surface electrochemical oxidation. As PEC etching proceeds, the thin film becomes rough at the nanoscale, and ultimately evolves into an ensemble of nanoparticles. As a result, this change in InGaN film volume and morphology leads to a characteristic dependence of PEC etch rate on time: an incubation time, followed by a rise, then a peak, then a slow decay.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). EFRC for Solid State Lighting Science (SSLS)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
1183105
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1246999
Report Number(s):
SAND-2014-17107J; 537067
Journal Information:
Electrochimica Acta, Vol. 162, Issue C; ISSN 0013-4686
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 12 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (3)

Impact of VUV photons on SiO 2 and organosilicate low-k dielectrics: General behavior, practical applications, and atomic models journal March 2019
Single photon emission from top-down etched III-nitride quantum dots journal January 2020
III-nitride photonic crystal emitters by selective photoelectrochemical etching of heterogeneous quantum well structures journal January 2018

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Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
III-nitrides
wet chemical process
selective etching
photoelectrochemical etching
voltammetry
quantum dots bandgap selection