REACTIVE ION ETCH-INDUCED EFFECTS ON 0.2-MU-M T-GATE IN0.52AL0.48AS IN0.53GA0.47AS/INP HIGH-ELECTRON-MOBILITY TRANSISTORS/

The effect of CH4/H-2 reactive ion etching on In0.52Al0.48As surfaces and In0.52Al0.48As/In0.53Ga0.47As/InP heterostructure have been studie d using Schottky diode, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and room tem perature transport experiments. The application of CH4/H-2 as a dry et ch gas for the gate recess step in the fabrication of 0.2 mu m T-gate In0.52Al0.48As/In(0.53)Ga(0.47)AS/InP high electron mobility transisto r has been explored. We show that while the room temperature mobility and the de and high frequency performance of the dry etched devices ar e at least comparable to the wet etched ones, their microwave noise be haviours are extremely sensitive to dry etch-induced defects. (C) 1996 American Vacuum Society.