STRUCTURE DAMAGE IN REACTIVE-ION AND LASER ETCHED INP GAINAS MICROSTRUCTURES/

Etching of a chemical-beam-epitaxy-grown InP/InGaAs multilayer structu re with reactive ion etching (RIE) and laser-assisted dry etching abla tion (LADEA) is carried out in order to evaluate the extent of the dam age induced by these two etching methods. Micro-Raman spectroscopy ind icates a systematic broadening of the phonon lines as a function of de pth of a RIE fabricated crater. In contrast, LADEA which is based on t he application of an excimer laser for the removal of the products of chemical reaction, shows no measurable changes in the phonon line widt hs when compared to as-grown material. The results suggest that LADEA has potential for the photoresistless fabrication of damage free micro structures. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.