Etching of InAs in HCl gas and selective removal of InAs layer on GaAs in ultrahigh-vacuum processing system

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 32; no. 10B; pp. L1496 - L1499
• Main Authors: KADOYA, Y, YOSHIDA, T, SOMEYA, T, AKIYAMA, H, NOGE, H, SAKAKI, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Japanese journal of applied physics 01.10.1993
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Lithography, masks and pattern transfer; Materials science; Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology); Physics; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Solid-fluid interfaces; Surface treatments; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Inorganic compounds; Semiconductor materials; Photoluminescence; Surfaces; Binary compounds; Selective etching; Kinetics; RHEED; Experimental study; Ultrahigh vacuum; Indium arsenides
• DOI: 10.1143/jjap.32.l1496
• ISSN: 0021-4922

The etch rate of InAs in HCl gas is studied for the first time and is found to be far greater than that of GaAs. The complete removal of an InAs layer grown on GaAs was achieved by this etching, resulting in a very flat surface. This is confirmed by the photoluminescence study on a novel GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well (QW), which was prepared by depositing a 50 nm InAs film at the center of the well, and subsequently etching it off before the remainder of the QW was formed. This unique selectivity can be employed to remove an InAs film which is used in the in situ patterning technique of GaAs.