Evolution of Surface Morphology During Wet-Etching of N-type GaN Using Phosphoric Acidic Solutions

인산을 이용한 n-type GaN의 습식식각을 통한 표면 Morphology 변화

Characteristics of etching and induced surface morphology variation by wet-etching of n-type GaN were investigated using phosphoric acidic solutions. Generally, the etch-rate was increased as the temperature of the etch solutions was increased, and the highest etch rate of about $300{\AA}/min$ was achieved at the temperature of $180^{\circ}C$. The morphology variation of the etched surface was observed by optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Initially, high density of hexagonal holes or pits were formed on the etched surface at the time of 40 min with the bimodal size of $20{\mu}m$ or $5{\mu}m$, respectively. However, as the etching time was increased further, the lateral size of the hexagonal holes or pits was increased, and finally, joined and merged together at the time of 100 min. This means that the etching of n-type GaN by phosphoric acidic solutions proceeded through the lateral widening and the merging of initial holes and pits.

본 논문에서는 인산을 이용하여을 인산을 이용하여 nGaN을 습식식각 할때의 표면식각 진행 특성을 조사 하였다. 인산을 이용한 고온에서의 식각은 diffusion rate limited regime을 통하여 이루어짐을 확인 하였으며, 또한 초기식각은 lateral 크기가 $20{\mu}m$에서 $5{\mu}m$ 정도인 bimodal 형태의 hexagonal 모양의 hole과 pits이 형성되며, 식각이 진행됨에 따라 표면에 형성된 hexagonal hole 등이 적층구조로 형성되거나 혹은 laterally 병합되며 식각됨을 관찰 하였다. 또한 PL 분석을 통하여 표면 거칠기 증가로 인한 extraction efficiency의 향상도 관찰할 수 있었다. 이러한 결과로부터 인산을 이용한 습식식각을 통하여 GaN의 표면 texturing 공정이 이용 가능할 수 있을 것으로 예상 된다.