Plasma etching of wide bandgap and ultrawide bandgap semiconductors
At a Glance
Section titled āAt a Glanceā| Metadata | Details |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | 2020-01-16 |
| Journal | Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A Vacuum Surfaces and Films |
| Authors | S. J. Pearton, E Douglas, R. J. Shul, F. Ren |
| Institutions | University of Florida, Sandia National Laboratories |
| Citations | 41 |
Abstract
Section titled āAbstractāThe precise patterning of front-side mesas, backside vias, and selective removal of ternary alloys are all needed for power device fabrication in the various wide bandgap (AlGaN/GaN, SiC) and ultrawide bandgap (high Al-content alloys, boron nitride, Ga2O3, diamond) semiconductor technologies. The plasma etching conditions used are generally ion-assisted because of the strong bond strengths in these materials, and this creates challenges for the choice of masks in order to have sufficient selectivity over the semiconductor and to avoid mask erosion and micromasking issues. It can also be challenging to achieve practical etch rates without creating excessive damage in the patterned surface. The authors review the optimum choices for plasma chemistries for each of the semiconductors and acknowledge the pioneering work of John Coburn, who first delineated the ion-assisted etch mechanism.