Development of InSb dry etch for mid-IR applications
We present a new chlorine-free dry etching process which was used to successfully etch indium antimonide grown on gallium arsenide substrates while keeping the substrate temperature below 150°C. By use of a reflowed photoresist mask a sidewall with 60degree positive slope was achieved, whereas a nearly vertical one was obtained when hard masks were used. Long etch tests demonstrated the non-selectivity of the process by etching through the entire multi-layer epitaxial structure. Electrical and optical measurements on devices fabricated both by wet and dry etch techniques provided similar results, proving that the dry etch process does not cause damage to the material. This technique has a great potential to replace the standard wet etching techniques used for fabrication of indium antimonide devices with a non-damaging low temperature plasma process. Display Omitted Chlorine-free low-temperature dry etch of MBE grown InSb on GaAs60° positive sloped or nearly vertical etch depending on maskNon-selective process etching through Insb, GaSb and GaAsLow damage process with potential to replace standard InSb wet etch
Reactive ion beam etching of aluminum indium antimonide, gallium indium antimonide heterostructures in electron cyclotron resonance methane/hydrogen/nitrogen/silicon tetrachloride discharges at room temperature
Reactive ion beam etching of aluminum indium antimonide, gallium indium antimonide heterostructures in electron cyclotron resonance plasma using methane/hydrogen/nitrogen/silicon tetrachloride (CH4/H2/N2/SiCl4) mixtures has been performed at room temperature. Due to the ratio of chlorine to methane, formation of an indium chloride layer on the etched surface is avoided, thus resulting, in etched surfaces as smooth as the original ones and flat mesa sidewalls. Infrared diodes (2.3μm) have been fabricated using this etching technology.
SR topography of plastically deformed Fe-Si bicrystals - observation in situ and post mortem
SR reflection topography was applied to study the interaction of slip dislocations with the grain boundaries in Fe-4at%Si bicrystals deformed by compression. Three experimental settings with either a white or monochromatic beam were used and the corresponding orientation contrast analysed. Dislocation transmission through the grain boundary was observed in bicrystals with favourable geometry of the slip systems.