ELECTRICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF DEFECTS IN SICL4 PLASMA-ETCHED N-GAAS AND PD SCHOTTKY DIODES FABRICATED ON IT

We employed deep-level transient spectroscopy to determine the electri cal properties of defects introduced in epitaxially grown n-GaAs durin g dry etching in a SiCl4 plasma at different rf powers and plasma pres sures. We found that SiCl4 etching introduced two prominent defects, o ne of which is metastable. Current-voltage measurements demonstrated t hat high barrier Schottky barrier diodes can be fabricated on SiCl4-et ched n-GaAs surfaces for all power and plasma pressure conditions inve stigated. The defect concentration decreased and the diode quality imp roved when etching at lower rf power and higher plasma pressure. (C) 1 997 American Institute of Physics.