Highly selective photoelectrochemical etching of nitride materials for defect investigation and device fabrication
- 1 July 2001
- journal article
- Published by American Vacuum Society in Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures
- Vol. 19 (4) , 1328-1333
- https://doi.org/10.1116/1.1378009
Abstract
Photoenhanced electrochemical (PEC) etching in an unstirred KOH solution under He–Cd laser illumination was used for delineating extended defects in GaN films. When a low-excitation intensity was employed, the process yielded threading vertical features at dislocation sites. Application of an external voltage or a higher-illumination intensity led to high-etch rates with smooth surfaces. Some highly resistive samples, for which no etching was obtained under normal etching conditions, could be etched with the application of a single-polarity external voltage. Finally, in a GaN sample with an AlN/GaN superstructure inside, high selectivity between AlN and GaN was achieved; in this case, the PEC process stopped at the thin AlN stop layer.Keywords
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