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Selective Photochemical Dry Etching of Compound Semiconductors: Enhanced Control Through Secondary Electronic Properties

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2011

Carol I. H. Ashby
Carol I. H. Ashby*
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, P. O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, NM 87185
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Abstract

When laser-driven etching of a semiconductor requires direct participation of photogenerated carriers, the etching quantum yield will be sensitive to the electronic properties of a specific semiconductor material. The band-gap energy of the semiconductor determines the minimum photon energy needed for carrier-driven etching since sub-gap photons do not generate free carriers. However, only those free carriers that reach the reacting surface contribute to etching and the ultimate carrier flux to the surface is controlled by more subtle electronic properties than the lowestenergy band gap. For example, the initial depth of carrier generation and the probability of carrier recombination between the point of generation and the surface profoundly influence the etching quantum yield. Appropriate manipulation of process parameters can provide additional reaction control based on such secondary electronic properties. Applications to selective dry etching of GaAs and related materials are discussed here.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 129: Symposium B – Laser and Particle-Beam Modification of Chemical Processes on Surfaces , 1988 , 269
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1989

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References

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