The Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) presents a seminar by Professor Jean-Pierre Landesman, from the Engineering Physics Department, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada.
Investigations on some side effects and defect formation during plasma etching of nanostructures using III-V semiconductors
Abstract
Reactive ion etching, based on the controlled interaction of the semiconductor surface with highly reactive plasmas, is one of the most important building blocks in nanotechnology platforms nowadays. This technique was introducedin the fabrication processes several decades ago, however it relies on a complex interaction between the surface and the plasma phase. There are still some aspects of this interaction which require investigations, especially as the tools become more powerful, for example on the route towards faster etching processes with better control on the critical dimensions.
In
this
presentation,
I
will
focus
on
the
issue
of
the
damage
that
can
be
introduced
in
the
etched
materials
due
to
the
presence
of
energetic
ions
in
the
plasma
for
example.
I
will
discuss
some
of
the
“old”
work
that
was
undertaken
by
pioneering
groups
to
investigate
associated
defect
formation,
especially
in
III-V
materials.
I
will
then
show
some
more
recent
results
that
build
on
these
ideas,
mainly
using
spectroscopic
techniques
with
high
spatial
resolution
to
investigate
defect
formation
in
quantum
well
structures
on
InP,
after
exposure
to
different
etching
plasmas.
I
will
also
address
the
question
of
mechanical
stress
that
can
appear
in
some
structures
after
plasma
etching,
for
example
in
the
case
of
InP
etched
with
chlorine-based
chemistries.