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Characteristics of GaN thin films by inductively coupled plasma etching with Cl2/BCl3 and Cl2/Ar

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Abstract

GaN thin films were etched by inductively coupled plasma (ICP). The effects of BCl3 and Ar with different Cl2 fraction are studied and compared. The ICP power and RF power are also altered to investigate the different effects by using Cl2/BCl3 or Cl2/Ar as etching gases. The etch rate and surface morphology of the etched surface are characterized by using surface profiler, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The root-mean-square roughness values are systematically compared. It is found that the etch rates of Cl2/Ar are higher than that of the Cl2/BCl3 in the Cl2 fraction ranging from 10 to 90%. When the ICP power is increased, the RMS roughness of GaN surface after ICP etching shows reverse trend between Cl2/BCl3 and Cl2/Ar gas mixture. The results indicate quite different features using Cl2/BCl3 and Cl2/Ar for GaN ICP etcing under the same conditions.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by Special Funds for Major State Basic Research Project (2011CB301900), National Nature Science Foundation of China (60990311, 60820106003, 60906025, 60936004, 61176063). The nature science foundation of Jiangsu province(BK2008019, BK2010385, BK2009255, BK2010178), the Research Funds from NJU-Yangzhou Institute of Opto-electronics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Photonic and Electronic Materials and School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China

    G. F. Yang, P. Chen, Z. L. Wu, Z. G. Yu, H. Zhao, B. Liu, X. M. Hua, Z. L. Xie, X. Q. Xiu, P. Han, Y. Shi, R. Zhang & Y. D. Zheng

  2. Institute of Optoelectronics, Nanjing University and Yangzhou, Yangzhou, 225009, China

    P. Chen & Z. L. Wu

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  1. G. F. Yang
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Correspondence to P. Chen.

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Yang, G.F., Chen, P., Wu, Z.L. et al. Characteristics of GaN thin films by inductively coupled plasma etching with Cl2/BCl3 and Cl2/Ar. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 23, 1224–1228 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-011-0577-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-011-0577-5

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