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Electron cyclotron resonance etching of InP, GaP, and GaAs in Ar, Ar/Cl 2, Ar/Cl2/H2, and Ar/Cl2/H2/CH4 plasmas is reported for substrate temperatures from 10 to 170 °C. Etch rates increased as a function of temperature for GaP and GaAs in an Ar/Cl2 plasma. With the addition of H2 or H2/CH4 to the plasma, the GaP and GaAs etch rates decreased and were essentially temperature independent. In comparison, InP etch rates showed a strong temperature dependence regardless of plasma chemistry. At 170 °C, InP etch rates were greater than GaP and GaAs in the Ar/Cl2/H2 and Ar/Cl2/H 2/CH4 plasmas. Atomic force microscopy was used to determine the root-mean-square roughness of the etched surfaces. The etched surface morphology for InP was strongly dependent on temperature and plasma chemistry while smooth pattern transfer was obtained for a wide range of plasma conditions for GaAs and GaP.

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