Abstract
Dry etched InAlN and GaN surfaces have been characterized by current-voltage measurement, Auger electron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Electron cyclotron resonance discharges of BCl3. BCl3/Ar, BCl3/N2, or BCl3/N2 plus wet chemical etch all produce nitrogen surfaces that promote leakage current in rectifying gate contacts, with the BCl3/N2 plus wet chemical etch producing the least disruption on the surface properties. The conductivity of the immediate InAlN or GaN surface can be increased by preferential loss of N during BCl3 plasma etching, leading to poor rectifying contact characteristics when the gate metal is deposited on this etched surface. Careful control of plasma chemistry, ion energy, and stoichiometry of the etched surface are necessary for acceptable pinch-off characteristics. Hydrogen passivation during the etch was also studied.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
M.A. Khan, J.N. Kuznia, D.T. Olson, W. Schaff, J. Burm and M.S. Shur, Appl. Phys. Lett. 65, 1121 (1994).
S.C. Binari, L.B. Rowland, W. Kruppa, G. Kelner, K. Doverspike and D.K. Gaskill, Electron Lett. 30, 1248 (1994).
M.A. Khan, M.S. Shur, J.N. Kuznia, J. Burm and W. Schuff, Appl. Phys. Lett. 66, 1083 (1995).
M.A. Khan, Q. Chen, C.J. Sun, J.W. Wang, M. Blasingame, M.S. Shur and H. Park, ibid. 68, 514 (1996).
W. Kruppa, S.C. Binari and K. Doverspike, Electron. Lett. 31, 1951 (1995).
S.C. Binari, L.B. Rowland, G. Kelner, W. Kruppa, H.B. Dietrich, K. Doverspike and D.K. Gaskill, Inst. Phys. Conf. Ser. 141, 459 (Bristol, U.K.: Inst. of Physics, 1995).
F. Ren, C.R. Abernathy, S.N.G. Chu, J.R. Lothian and S.J. Pearton, Appl. Phys. Lett. 66, 1503 (1995).
S. Strite, M.E. Lin and H. Morkoç, Thin Solid Films 231, 197 (1993).
H. Morkoç, S. Strite, G.B. Bao, M.E. Lin, B. Sverdlov and M. Burns, J. Appl. Phys. 76, 1363 (1994).
C.R. Abernathy, J.D. MacKenzie, S.R. Bharatan, K.S. Jones and S.J. Pearton, Appl. Phys. Lett. 66, 1632 (1995).
M.E. Lin, Z.E. Fan, Z. Ma, L.H. Allen and H. Morkoç, ibid. 64, 887 (1994).
I. Adesida, A.T. Ping, C. Youtsey, T. Dow, M.A. Khan, D.T. Olson, and J.A. Kuznia, ibid. 65, 889 (1994).
G.F. McLane, L. Casas, S.J. Pearton and C.R. Abernathy, ibid. 66, 3328 (1995).
R.J. Shul, S.R. Kilcoyne, M.H. Crawford, J.E. Parmeter, C.B. Vartuli, C.R. Abernathy and S.J. Pearton, ibid. 66, 1761 (1995).
S.J. Pearton, C.R. Abernathy and E. Ren, ibid. 64, 3643 (1994).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ren, F., Lothian, J.R., Pearton, S.J. et al. Effect of dry etching on surface properties of III-nitrides. J. Electron. Mater. 26, 1287–1291 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-997-0072-1
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-997-0072-1