High Etch Rate Gallium Nitride Processing Using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Source

Ryan, Michael E.; Camacho, Alessandra Conceição Leite Funchal; Bhardwaj, J. K.

doi:10.1002/(sici)1521-396x(199911)176:1<743::aid-pssa743>3.0.co;2-e

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…[27][28][29][30][31] For these reasons, ICP has become the dominant etch method used in GaN device processing. [27][28][29][30][31] For these reasons, ICP has become the dominant etch method used in GaN device processing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thinning of N-face GaN (0001 ¯) samples by inductively coupled plasma etching and chemomechanical polishing

Rizzi

Dawson

et al. 2007

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films

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Fabrication of ZnO photonic crystals by nanosphere lithography using inductively coupled-plasma reactive ion etching with CH 4 / H 2 / Ar plasma on the ZnO/GaN heterojunction light emitting diodes J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 28, 745 (2010); 10.1116/1.3357282 Removal of chemical-mechanical polishing-induced damage layer in single crystal La 3 Ga 5 Si O 14 by inductively coupled plasma etching Evolution of surface roughness of AlN and GaN induced by inductively coupled Cl 2 / Ar plasma etching J. Appl. Phys. 95, 4635 (2004); 10.1063/1.1688993 Nonselective and smooth etching of GaN/AlGaN heterostructures by Cl 2 / Ar / BCl 3 inductively coupled plasmas J.The processing of N-polar GaN ͑0001͒ samples has been studied, motivated by applications in which extensive back side thinning of freestanding GaN ͑FS-GaN͒ substrates is required. Experiments were conducted on FS-GaN from two commercial sources, in addition to epitaxial GaN with the N-face exposed by a laser lift-off process. The different types of samples produced equivalent results. Surface morphologies were examined over relatively large areas, using scanning electron microscopy and stylus profiling. The main focus of this study was on inductively coupled plasma ͑ICP͒ etch processes, employing Cl 2 /Ar or Cl 2 /BCl 3 Ar gas mixtures. Application of a standard etch recipe, optimized for feature etching of Ga-polar GaN ͑0001͒ surfaces, caused severe roughening of N-polar samples and confirmed the necessity for specific optimization of etch conditions for N-face material. A series of recipes with a reduced physical ͑sputter-based͒ contribution to etching allowed average surface roughness values to be consistently reduced to below 3 nm. Maximum N-face etch rates of 370-390 nm/ min have been obtained in recipes examined to date. These are typically faster than etch rates obtained on Ga-face samples under the same conditions and adequate for the process flows of interest. Mechanistic aspects of the ICP etch process and possible factors contributing to residual surface roughness are discussed. This study also included work on chemomechanical polishing ͑CMP͒. The optimized CMP process had stock removal rates of ϳ500 nm/ h on the GaN N face. This was much slower than the ICP etching but showed the important capability of recovering smooth surfaces on samples roughened in previous processing. In one example, a surface roughened by nonoptimized ICP etching was smoothed to give an average surface roughness of ϳ2 nm.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thinning of N-face GaN (0001 ¯) samples by inductively coupled plasma etching and chemomechanical polishing

Rizzi

Dawson

et al. 2007

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films

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“…This is done by using two RF sources which independently control the density of the plasma and the energy of the ions bombarding the surface. Improved surface characteristics and higher etch rates for GaN were realized using this ICP set up [Ryan, 1999].…”

Section: Icp -Rie Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gallium nitride-based blue laser diodes

Kuchibhatla¹

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Group III nitride wide band gap semiconductors have recently attracted considerable attention due to their applications for optical devices operating in the blue and UV wavelength regions. Nitride materials are stable at high temperatures and also chemically stable. Analysis of InGaN based blue laser diodes is required for the research and development of future deep UV laser diodes for bio-sensing applications. The conventional multiple quantum wells suffer from inhomogeneous carrier distribution across quantum wells. This inhomogeneous distribution increases the threshold current density of the laser diode. This project addresses the issue through the design of a novel structure for the active region of InGaN blue laser diodes. As a possible replacement for the AlGaN cladding layers optical properties of a 1D photonic crystal was investigated. Part of the work deals with the etching of GaN in SF 6 plasma using ICP-RIE systems.

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Deep ridge GaN cw‐laser diodes

Dennemarck

Tessarek

Figge

et al. 2007

Phys. Status Solidi (c)

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The processing of homoepitaxial grown GaN based laser diodes by means of chemical assisted ion beam etching (CAIBE) is discussed. These laser diodes, emitting in the blue/UV spectral region, have been processed as buried ridge wave guide structures. Both, the influence of process parameters during etching such as the angle of incidence of the ions and gas fluxes as well as the impact of the ridge depth on the device performance will be analysed. Steep and smooth sidewalls of the ridge have been achieved by optimising the process parameters and by etching the ridge through the active region, cw-lasing has been achieved.

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High Etch Rate Gallium Nitride Processing Using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Source

Cited by 6 publications

References 12 publications

Thinning of N-face GaN (0001 ¯) samples by inductively coupled plasma etching and chemomechanical polishing

Thinning of N-face GaN (0001 ¯) samples by inductively coupled plasma etching and chemomechanical polishing

Gallium nitride-based blue laser diodes

Deep ridge GaN cw‐laser diodes

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