EXTREMELY HIGH ETCH RATES OF IN-BASED III-V SEMICONDUCTORS IN BCL(3) N-2 BASED PLASMA/

Extremely high etch rates of InGaP and InP are observed as N-2 is adde d to BCl3 discharges. The etch rates of similar to 2.0 mu m/min and -1 .8 mu m/min for InGaP and InP, respectively, are achieved at 100 degre es C with 1000 W of electron cyclotron resonance power and -145 V self -bias. Optical emission spectra show increases of intensities for Cl-2 (+) and Cl+ emissions with the presence of N-2 in BCl3 plasmas as well as an additional BN emission at 385.6 nm. This trend of increasing em ission intensity is consistent with the increase of etching rate with BCl3/N-2 discharge. A low threshold current, 9.7 mA, InGaAs/GaAs/InGaP ridge lasers with a ridge width and cavity length of 1.4 and 750 mu m , respectively, were also demonstrated with this etching processing.