• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.321-324
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• 2020

In this work, we developed a selective etching process for GaN that is a key process in p-GaN/AlGaN/GaN enhancement-mode (E-mode) power switching field-effect transistor (FET) fabrication. In order to achieve a high current density of p-GaN/AlGaN/GaN E-mode FET, the p-GaN layer beside the gate region must be selectively etched whereas the underneath AlGaN layer should be maintained. A selective etching process was implemented by oxidizing the surface of the AlGaN layer and the GaN layer by adding O2 gas to Cl2/N2 gas which is generally used for GaN etching. A selective etching process was optimized using Cl2/N2/O2 gas mixture and a high selectivity of 53:1 (= GaN/AlGaN) was achieved.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 1998.06a
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• pp.398-400
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• 1998

In this paper, the etching studies for n-GaN were carried out using the wet chemical, the photo-enhanced-chemical, and the electro-chemical etching methods. The experimental results show that n-GaN is etched in diluted NaOH solution at room temperture and the etched thickness of NaOH and electron concentrations. Te etching rate of n-GaN samples with n.simeq.1*10$^{19}$ cm$^{-3}$ were used to compare the photo-enhanced-chemical etching with the electrochemical etching methods. The removed thickness was 680.angs./25min by the electrochemical etching methods. The removed thickness was 680 .angs./25min by the electrochemical etching method ad 784.angs./25min by the photoenhanced-chemical etching method. The patterns are 100.mu.m*100.mu.m rectangulars covered with SiO$_{2}$film. It is shown that the profile of etched side-wall of the pattern is vertical without dependance of the n-GaN orientations.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.196-201
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• 2014

We investigated defects and surface polarity in AlN and GaN by using wet chemical etching. Therefore, the effectiveness and reliability of estimating the single crystals by defect selective etching in NaOH/KOH eutectic alloy have been successfully demonstrated. High-quality AlN and GaN single crystals were etched in molten NaOH/KOH eutectic alloy. The etching characteristics and surface morphologies were carried out by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). The etch rates of AlN and GaN surface were calculated by etching depth as a function of etching time. As a result, two-types of etch pits with different sizes were revealed on AlN and GaN surface, respectively. Etching produced hexagonal pits on the metal-face (Al, Ga) (0001) plane, while hexagonal hillocks formed on the N-face. On etching rate calibration, it was found that N-face had approximately 109 and 15 times higher etch rate than the metal-face of AlN and GaN, respectively. The size of etch pits increased with an increase of the etching time and they tend to merge together with a neighbouring etch pits. Also, the chemical mechanism of each etching process was discussed. It was found that hydroxide ion ($OH^-$) and the dangling bond of nitrogen play an important role in the selective etching of the metal-face and N-face.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.249-254
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• 1998

The etching experiments for n-GaN were done using the wet chemical, photo-enhanced-chemical and electro-chemical etching methods. The experimental results show that n-GaN is etched is diluted NaOH solution at room temperature and the removed thickness of n-GaN is linearly increased with etching times. The etching rate of the photo-enhanced-chemical and electro-chemical etching methods are several times higher than that of the wet chemical method. The maximum etching rate of n-GaN with $n{\fallingdotseq}1{\times}10^{19}cm^{-3}$ was 164 $\AA$/min under the experimental condition of the Photo-enhanced-chemical etching. The etching rates of n-GaN are very much dependant on the electron concentrations of the samples. The pattern is $100{\mu}m{\times}100{\mu}m$ rectangulars covered with $SiO_2$film. It is shown that the etched side-wall charactistics of the pattern is vertical without dependance of the n-GaN orientations, and the smoothness of etched n-GaN surface is fairly flat.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.391-392
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• 2012

In these days, the desire for the precise and tiny displays in mobile application has been increased strongly. Currently, laser displays ranging from large-size laser TV to mobile projectors, are commercially available or due to appear on the market [1]. In order to achieve a mobile projectors, the semiconductor laser diodes should be used as a laser source due to their size and weight. In this presentation, the continuous etch characteristics of Pd and AlGaN/GaN superlattice for the fabrication of blue laser diodes were investigated by using inductively coupled $CHF_3$ and $Cl_2$ -based plasma. The GaN laser diode samples were grown on the sapphire (0001) substrate using a metal organic chemical vapor deposition system. A Si-doped GaN layer was grown on the substrate, followed by growth of LD structures, including the active layers of InGaN/GaN quantum well and barriers layer, as shown in other literature [2], and the palladium was used as a p-type ohmic contact metal. The etch rate of AlGaN/GaN superlattice (2.5/2.5 nm for 100 periods) and n-GaN by using $Cl_2$ (90%)/Ar (10%) and $Cl_2$ (50%)/$CHF_3$ (50%) plasma chemistry, respectively. While when the $Cl_2$/Ar plasma were used, the etch rate of AlGaN/GaN superlattice shows a similar etch rate as that of n-GaN, the $Cl_2/CHF_3$ plasma shows decreased etch rate, compared with that of $Cl_2$/Ar plasma, especially for AlGaN/GaN superlattice. Furthermore, it was also found that the Pd which is deposited on top of the superlattice couldn't be etched with $Cl_2$/Ar plasma. It was indicating that the etching step should be separated into 2 steps for the Pd etching and the superlattice etching, respectively. The etched surface of stacked Pd/superlattice as a result of 2-step etching process including Pd etching ($Cl_2/CHF_3$) and SLs ($Cl_2$/Ar) etching, respectively. EDX results shows that the etched surface is a GaN waveguide free from the Al, indicating the SLs were fully removed by etching. Furthermore, the optical and electrical properties will be also investigated in this presentation. In summary, Pd/AlGaN/GaN SLs were successfully etched exploiting noble 2-step etching processes.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.217-222
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• 2008

Characteristics of etching and induced surface morphology variation by wet-etching of n-face n-type GaN were investigated using KOH solutions. It was observed that hexagonal pyramids were formed on the etched surface regardless of etching conditions. However, the size of the hexagonal pyramids was changed as the etching time and temperature increased, respectively. Initially, as the etching time and concentration of KOH solution increased, the hexagonal pyramid was observed to be dissociated into smaller pyramids. However, as the etching time increased further, the size of the hexagonal pyramids increased again, indicating that the etching of N-face n-type GaN by KOH solutions proceeded through the evolution of hexagonal pyramids, such as formation, dissociation and enlargement of pyramids. Furthermore, it was also observed that there is a correlation between the photoluminescence intensity of the etched surface and the value of root-mean-square roughness. The intensity of PL increased as the roughness value increased due to the enhancement of the extraction efficiency of the generated photons.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.416-422
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• 1999

The characteristics of inductively coupled Cl$_2$/BCl$_3$ plasmas during the GaN etching were studied using plasma mass spectrometry by measuring the relative amounts of reactive ions, neutrals, and etch products. GaN etch rates increased with the increase of pressure and showed a maximum near 25mTorr for the pure $Cl_2$ and near 30mTorr for $Cl_2$$BCl_3$. The addition of$ BCl_3$ to $Cl_2$ also was increased GaN etch rates until 50%BCl$_3$ was mixed to $Cl_2$. The GaN etching with pure $Cl Cl_2$ appears to be related to the combination of Cl$_2^{+}$ ion bombardment and the chemical reaction of Cl radicals. In the case of the GaN etching with Cl$_2$/BCl$_3$, in addition to the combined effect of$_2^{ +}$ ions and Cl radicals, $_BCl2^{+ }$ ions appear to be responsible for some of GaN etching even though they do not have significant effect on the GaN etching compared to $Cl_2^{+}$ and Cl. $Ga^{+ }$ , $GaCl^{+}$ , $GaCl_2^{+}$ , and $N_2^{+}$ were observed as the positive ions of etch products, and the intensities of these etch products showed the same trends as those of GaN etch rate. Among the etch products, Ga and $N_2$ appear to be the main etch products.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.353-358
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• 2008

In order to increase extraction efficiency of AlGaInP-based vertical RED LEDs, chemical wet etching technique was produced by using a roughened surface with triangle-like morphology. A commonly used $H_3PO_4$-based solution was applied for chemical wet etching. The light extraction of AlGaInP LED was related to the n-side roughed surface morphology. The morphology of roughed surface is analyzed by the atomic force microscope (AFM). As a result, the roughed surface AlGaInP LED has a root-mean-square (RMS) roughness of 44 nm. The brightness shows 41% increase after roughening n-side surface, as compared to the ordinary flat surface LED.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.30-34
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• 2016

In this paper, we report that selective etching on N-polar face by EC (electro-chemical)-etching effect on the reduction of bowing and strain of FS (free-standing)-GaN substrates. We applied the EC-etching to concave and convex type of FS-GaN substrates. After the EC-etching for FS-GaN, nano porous structure was formed on N-polar face of concave and convex type of FS-GaN. Consequently, the bowing in the convex type of FS-GaN substrate was decreased but the bowing in the concave type of FS-GaN substrate was increased. Furthermore, the FWHM (full width at half maximum) of (1 0 2) reflection for the convex type of FS-GaN was significantly decreased from 601 to 259 arcsec. In the case, we confirmed that the EC-etching method was very effective to reduce the bowing in the convex type of FS-GaN and the compressive stress in N-polar face of convex type of FS-GaN was fully released by Raman measurement.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.339-339
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• 2010

Photo-assisted wet chemical etching of GaN thin film was studied using KOH based solutions. A $2{\mu}m-2{\mu}m$ titanium line-and-space pattern was used as a etching mask. It is found that the etching characteristics of the GaN thin film is strongly dependent on the pattern direction by unisotropic property of KOH based solution. When the pattern was aligned to the [$11\bar{2}0$] directions, ($10\bar{1}n$)-facet is revealed constructing V-shaped sidewalls.