Role of Carbon and Hydrogen in Reactive Ion Etching of InP by Gas Mixture of Ethane and Hydrogen

Abstract

InP crystals were etched by reactive ion etching (RIE) with ethane and hydrogen (C 2 H 6 /H 2 ). Etched crystals and gas species were characterized by photoluminescence and mass spectroscopic measurements. Evaporation of phosphorus is induced by hydrogen, mainly originating from H 2 gas. Incorporation of C increases with the gas species of hydrocarbon having multiple bonds. Near-bandgap emission with intensities greater than before RIE, which shows the hydrogen passivation, and defect-complex-related emission bands at 1.06-1.07 eV enhanced by RIE were observed. The role of gas species and the identification of defects are discussed on the basis of the experimental results.