METHANE HYDROGEN-BASED REACTIVE ION ETCHING OF INAS, INP, GAAS, AND GASB

Reactive ion etching (RIE) of InAs, InP, GaAs, and GaSb using CH4/H-2 mixtures has been studied to determine the resulting etch profiles and surface morphologies, as well as the dependence of etch rates on cathode temperature, chamber pressure, and electrode self-bias. These materials are found to etch slowly and controllably, with etched samples having smooth surfaces and nearly vertical sidewalls. Our results demonstrate that CH4/H-2 RIE is a promising technology for fabricating electronic devices using the newly emerging InAs/GaSb/AlSb material system as well as the better established InP material system.