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Selective Etching Of Wide Bandgap Nitrides

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

R. J. Shul ,
C. G. Willison ,
M. M. Bridges ,
J. Han ,
J. W. Lee ,
S. J. Pearton ,
C. R. Abernathy ,
J. D. MacKenzie  and
S. M. Donovan
R. J. Shul
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185–0603, rjshul@sandia.gov
C. G. Willison
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185–0603, rjshul@sandia.gov
M. M. Bridges
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185–0603, rjshul@sandia.gov
J. Han
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185–0603, rjshul@sandia.gov
J. W. Lee
Affiliation:
University of Florida, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Gainesville, FL 32611
S. J. Pearton
Affiliation:
University of Florida, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Gainesville, FL 32611
C. R. Abernathy
Affiliation:
University of Florida, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Gainesville, FL 32611
J. D. MacKenzie
Affiliation:
University of Florida, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Gainesville, FL 32611
S. M. Donovan
Affiliation:
University of Florida, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Gainesville, FL 32611
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Abstract

High-density plasma etching has been an effective patterning technique for the group-III nitrides due to ion fluxes which are 2 to 4 orders of magnitude higher than more conventional reactive ion etch (RIE) systems. GaN etch rates exceeding 0.68 μm/min have been reported in Cl2/H2/Ar inductively coupled plasmas (ICP) at -280 V dc-bias. Under these conditions, the etch mechanism is dominated by ion bombardment energies which can induce damage and minimize etch selectivity. High selectivity etch processes are often necessary for heterostructure devices which are becoming more prominent as growth techniques improve. In this study, we will report high-density ICP etch rates and selectivities for GaN, AIN, and InN as a function of cathode power, ICP-source power, and chamber pressure. GaN:AIN selectivities > 8:1 were observed in a Cl2/Ar plasma at 10 mTorr pressure, 500 W ICP-source power, and 130 W cathode rf-power, while the GaN:InN selectivity was optimized at ∼ 6.5:1 at 5 mTorr, 500 W ICP-source power, and 130 W cathode rf-power.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 483: Symposium E – Power Semiconductor Materials & Devices , 1997 , 155
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

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