GaAs pattern etching with little damage by a combination of Ga+focused-ion-beam irradiation and subsequent Cl2 gas etching

Abstract

Pattern formation on GaAs by Ga+ focused-ion-beam (FIB) irradiation and subsequent Cl2 gas etching was carried out. A higher etch rate at the FIB-irradiated area compared with that not irradiated under Cl2 gas allows pattern construction without a mask process. The degree of residual crystal damage was evaluated using photoluminescence (PL) intensity measurements. The PL intensity in the etched region was one order of magnitude stronger than that of FIB sputtering, and was several times stronger than that of Ga+ FIB-assisted Cl2 etching. Etch depths of the order of 100 nm, which is five times deeper than that obtained by FIB sputtering, were efficiently performed using moderate Ga+-ion doses.