Research on ICP etching technology of InGaAs based on orthogonal experimental design

Abstract

A chemistry of halogen mixed with neural or inert gas is mostly used for ICP etching of III-V compound semiconductor. The neural or inert gas has an effect of desorption and dilution, on the other hand, damages in the lattice due to ion bombardment are induced, which result in difficulties in improving the performances of detectors. Good desorption and passivation was obtained by using a new etching technology with the mixed gas of methane and hydrogen instead of neural or inert gas, and the damages caused by physical bombardment were much less because of the small quality of radical. The sample etched by using this technology was compared with the ones by using etching of neural or inert gas. The influences of ICP etching process parameters on etch rate, surface roughness and surface damage were investigated by using orthogonal experimental design. The methods of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) were used to investigate the surface profile and surface damage respectively. And according to the experimental results, the process parameters are optimized. Finally, a feasible etching technology with low damage, good surface profile and good controllability was achieved.