Abstract :
The characteristics of GaAs etched using planar inductively coupled plasmas (ICP) of BCl3, BCl3/Ar and BCl3/Ne are
reported. The etch rates generally increased with ICP source power and reactive ion etching (RIE) chuck power, while
decreasing with increase of pressure. Anisotropic etched features were achieved through sidewall passivation, with a selectivity
of GaAs etch rate to a photoresist of 3:1. BCl3/Ar plasmas provided a factor of two times higher etch rate than BCl3/Ne. Etched
surface morphology was generally smooth (RMS roughness < 2 nm) RMS roughness was 37.5 nm). XPS showed that the
etched GaAs surface was chemically clean and residue-free.
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