Dynamics of self-assembled droplet etching

We study the self-assembled local droplet etching of nanoholes in AlGaAs surfaces with Ga droplets. The data establish an unexpected delay of both the hole drilling process as well as the removal of the liquid material after etching. Furthermore, coarsening by Ostwald ripening is found to reduce the droplet density before drilling. Basing on these findings, we propose a growth, coarsening, drilling, and removal mechanism for the droplet etching process. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3254216]