Investigations of different dry etching methods on LaAlO3

Different dry etching methods were used to structure single crystal LaAlO3 (100). Utilization of reactive ion beam etching with CHF3 caused enhancemen t of the etch rate, the selectivity and the step angles compared to convent ionally applied Ar ion milling. The influence of the etch parameters on the surface damage was investigated by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy/ channeling studies and x-ray spectroscopy. The chemically assisted ion beam etching with chlorine gas examined causes the lowest degree of surface dam age but also the lowest etch rate. (C) 1999 American Vacuum Society. [S0734 -2101(99)07205-X].