Origin of etch delay time in Cl2 dry etching of AlGaN/GaN structures

The etch delay time commonly found during dry etching of AlGaN and GaN has been experimentally proven to be due to the presence of hard-to-etch surface oxides. A BCl3 deoxidizing plasma, followed by a Cl-2 etching plasma, was found to give dead-time-free aluminum-mole-fraction-independent etch rates. No selectivity between GaN and AlGaN has been observed up to an aluminum mole fraction of 35%. The aluminum-mole-fraction-dependent etch rates commonly reported in literature have been related to the different dead-times associated with dissimilar surface oxides, disproving the more common explanations in terms of the higher binding energy of AlN compared to GaN and/or the lower volatility of AlClx compared to GaClx. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.