Precision Recess of AlGaN/GaN with Controllable Etching Rate Using ICP-RIE Oxidation and Wet Etching

R. Sokolovskij; J. Sun; Fabio Santagata; Elina Iervolino; S. Li; G.Y. Zhang; P. M. Sarro; G. Q. Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.350

Precision Recess of AlGaN/GaN with Controllable Etching Rate Using ICP-RIE Oxidation and Wet Etching

R. Sokolovskij, J. Sun, Fabio Santagata, Elina Iervolino, S. Li, G.Y. Zhang, P. M. Sarro, G. Q. Zhang^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Electronic Components, Technology and Materials

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Abstract

A method for highly controllable etching of AlGaN/GaN for the fabrication of high sensitivity HEMT based sensors is developed. The process consists of cyclic oxidation of nitride with O₂ plasma using ICP-RIE etcher followed by wet etching of the oxidized layer. Previously reported cyclic oxidation-based GaN etching obtained very slow etching rate (∼0.38nm/cycle), limited by oxidation depth. The proposed approach allows fine control of the oxidation enabling the formation of accurately controlled recess of very thin (20∼30nm) barrier layers. With optimized power settings, etch rates from ∼0.6 to ∼11nm/cycle were obtained. AFM results did not show any increase in surface roughness after etching, indicating that surface quality of the etched layer was not affected by the etching process.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1094-1097
Number of pages	4
Journal	Procedia Engineering
Volume	168
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.350
Publication status	Published - 2016
Event	Eurosensors 2016: The 30th anniversary Eurosensors Conference - Budapest, Hungary Duration: 4 Sept 2016 → 7 Sept 2016

Keywords

AlGaN/GaN
cyclic etch
gate recess
HEMT
HEMT-sensor
ICP-RIE
plasma oxidation
semiconductor sensor

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10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.350

1-s2.0-S1877705816336645-mainFinal published version, 427 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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@article{2a30fbbafd5d40de96301f72ee874711,

title = "Precision Recess of AlGaN/GaN with Controllable Etching Rate Using ICP-RIE Oxidation and Wet Etching",

abstract = "A method for highly controllable etching of AlGaN/GaN for the fabrication of high sensitivity HEMT based sensors is developed. The process consists of cyclic oxidation of nitride with O2 plasma using ICP-RIE etcher followed by wet etching of the oxidized layer. Previously reported cyclic oxidation-based GaN etching obtained very slow etching rate (∼0.38nm/cycle), limited by oxidation depth. The proposed approach allows fine control of the oxidation enabling the formation of accurately controlled recess of very thin (20∼30nm) barrier layers. With optimized power settings, etch rates from ∼0.6 to ∼11nm/cycle were obtained. AFM results did not show any increase in surface roughness after etching, indicating that surface quality of the etched layer was not affected by the etching process.",

keywords = "AlGaN/GaN, cyclic etch, gate recess, HEMT, HEMT-sensor, ICP-RIE, plasma oxidation, semiconductor sensor",

author = "R. Sokolovskij and J. Sun and Fabio Santagata and Elina Iervolino and S. Li and G.Y. Zhang and Sarro, {P. M.} and Zhang, {G. Q.}",

year = "2016",

doi = "10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.350",

language = "English",

volume = "168",

pages = "1094--1097",

journal = "Procedia Engineering",

issn = "1877-7058",

publisher = "Elsevier",

note = "Eurosensors 2016 : The 30th anniversary Eurosensors Conference ; Conference date: 04-09-2016 Through 07-09-2016",

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T1 - Precision Recess of AlGaN/GaN with Controllable Etching Rate Using ICP-RIE Oxidation and Wet Etching

AU - Sokolovskij, R.

AU - Sun, J.

AU - Santagata, Fabio

AU - Iervolino, Elina

AU - Li, S.

AU - Zhang, G.Y.

AU - Sarro, P. M.

AU - Zhang, G. Q.

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - A method for highly controllable etching of AlGaN/GaN for the fabrication of high sensitivity HEMT based sensors is developed. The process consists of cyclic oxidation of nitride with O2 plasma using ICP-RIE etcher followed by wet etching of the oxidized layer. Previously reported cyclic oxidation-based GaN etching obtained very slow etching rate (∼0.38nm/cycle), limited by oxidation depth. The proposed approach allows fine control of the oxidation enabling the formation of accurately controlled recess of very thin (20∼30nm) barrier layers. With optimized power settings, etch rates from ∼0.6 to ∼11nm/cycle were obtained. AFM results did not show any increase in surface roughness after etching, indicating that surface quality of the etched layer was not affected by the etching process.

AB - A method for highly controllable etching of AlGaN/GaN for the fabrication of high sensitivity HEMT based sensors is developed. The process consists of cyclic oxidation of nitride with O2 plasma using ICP-RIE etcher followed by wet etching of the oxidized layer. Previously reported cyclic oxidation-based GaN etching obtained very slow etching rate (∼0.38nm/cycle), limited by oxidation depth. The proposed approach allows fine control of the oxidation enabling the formation of accurately controlled recess of very thin (20∼30nm) barrier layers. With optimized power settings, etch rates from ∼0.6 to ∼11nm/cycle were obtained. AFM results did not show any increase in surface roughness after etching, indicating that surface quality of the etched layer was not affected by the etching process.

KW - AlGaN/GaN

KW - cyclic etch

KW - gate recess

KW - HEMT

KW - HEMT-sensor

KW - ICP-RIE

KW - plasma oxidation

KW - semiconductor sensor

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85009948874&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:2a30fbba-fd5d-40de-9630-1f72ee874711

U2 - 10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.350

DO - 10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.350

M3 - Conference article

AN - SCOPUS:85009948874

SN - 1877-7058

VL - 168

SP - 1094

EP - 1097

JO - Procedia Engineering

JF - Procedia Engineering

T2 - Eurosensors 2016

Y2 - 4 September 2016 through 7 September 2016

ER -

Precision Recess of AlGaN/GaN with Controllable Etching Rate Using ICP-RIE Oxidation and Wet Etching

Abstract

Keywords

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