Dry plasma etching of GaAs vias using BCl3/Ar and Cl2/Ar plasmas

Yuwen Chen; Boon Siew Ooi; Geok Ing Ng; Chee Leong Tan; Yuen Chuen Chan

doi:10.1117/12.370307

12 November 1999 Dry plasma etching of GaAs vias using BCl₃/Ar and Cl₂/Ar plasmas

Yuwen Chen, Boon Siew Ooi, Geok Ing Ng, Chee Leong Tan, Yuen Chuen Chan

Proceedings Volume 3896, Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of Photonic Devices; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.370307
Event: International Symposium on Photonics and Applications, 1999, Singapore, Singapore

Abstract

We report the development and characterizations of GaAs via hole processes using BCl₃/Ar and Cl₂/Ar plasmas generated by an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) system. The effect of the in- and out-diffuse of the reactive species and etch by-products, of the BCl₃/Ar plasma, on the etch rate of the GaAs vias has been studied. The average GaAs etch rate was found to increase with increasing of both BCl₃ and Cl₂ flow rates. Under similar conditions, namely 800W microwave power, 150W RF power, 10sccm Ar flow rate, same flow rate, the etch rates of Cl₂/Ar plasma were found to be 7-16 times higher than those of BCl₃/Ar plasma. As the microwave power increased from 0 to 1500W, the etch rate increased by a factor of as large as 124 for the Cl₂/Ar process. Etch rate as high as 6.7micrometers /min was observed from sample etched in Cl₂/Ar plasma using a microwave power, RF power and process pressure of 800W, 150W and 50mTorr, respectively. Compared to the BCl₃/Ar plasma, Cl₂/Ar plasma is a better candidate, as this process gives higher etch rate and smoother etched surface.

Citation Download Citation

Yuwen Chen, Boon Siew Ooi, Geok Ing Ng, Chee Leong Tan, and Yuen Chuen Chan "Dry plasma etching of GaAs vias using BCl₃/Ar and Cl₂/Ar plasmas", Proc. SPIE 3896, Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of Photonic Devices, (12 November 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.370307

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