In-situ mask technique for producing III-V semiconductor...

Details In-situ mask technique for producing III-V semiconductor... In-situ mask technique for producing III-V semiconductor...

2001-05-29

2003-07-29

Everhart, Caridad (Department: 2825)

Semiconductor device manufacturing: process

Chemical etching

Vapor phase etching

C438S945000, C438S706000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06599843

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
In the production of III-V semiconductor components, masking steps are usually used to structure the surface of a sample. The surface of the sample is partially covered with a mask, for instance a mask made of SiO
2
as an amorphous material. The sample material is then removed in the region which is not covered by the mask by an etching step (a dry or wet chemical process).
The term “sample” refers to any material which is structured in the course of manufacturing semiconductor components.
The disadvantage of this procedure is that, in order to remove the SiO
2
mask from the surface, the sample must be removed from the epitaxy apparatus, thereby exposing the sample to airborne contaminants and oxygen. The contamination is particularly bad in structures containing aluminum, because this comprises a high bonding affinity to oxygen. Since such structures are highly significant to semiconductor laser production, the contamination is particularly problematic.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention sets forth a method by which it is possible to easily remove the mask from semiconductor material and apply additional layers in-situ in the manufacture of III-V semiconductor components. The method produces a structure for III-V semiconductor components in which a mask is applied to a sample in a masking step, characterized in that at least one mask material is a monocrystalline III-V semiconductor material.
Using a monocrystalline III-V semiconductor material in at least one mask material, it is possible to create a “self-dissolving” mask which is removable from the sample in-situ. The mask is dissolved during etching, which saves a substantial amount of processing time.
It is advantageous if at least one mask material is Ga
x
In
1−y
As
y
P
1−y
or AlGaInAs. These materials can be removed in a highly controlled fashion by etching the sample.
It is particularly advantageous when the creation of a structure on and/or in the mask, specifically by lithography, is followed by an etching step with tertiary butyl chloride (TBCl) as the etching agent. This etching agent is appreciably milder than the halogenic hydrogen compounds (e.g. HCl) commonly used in in-situ methods. Moreover, the etch rate of this agent is particularly easy to control.
It is advantageous to select the etch rate in the etching step in dependence upon the composition of the mask material, so that the mask is dissolved during etching. A self-dissolving mask can thus be created, in which the etch rate is advantageously precisely selected such that the mask is gone from the sample at the end of the etching step.
The etching step is expediently performed in-situ in the same device in which the structure has been applied in and/or on the sample.
Advantageously, after the etching step at least one epitaxial layer, particularly a guard layer, is applied to the surface. This is also performed in-situ.
The semiconductor component that emerges upon completion of the method can expediently be utilized in a semiconductor laser.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4595454 (1986-06-01), Dautremont-Smith et al.
patent: 4676863 (1987-06-01), Furuyama et al.
patent: 5316640 (1994-05-01), Wakabayashi et al.
patent: 5372675 (1994-12-01), Wakabayashi et al.
patent: 5866435 (1999-02-01), Park
patent: 6180429 (2001-01-01), Anselm et al.
patent: 32 15 410 (1983-10-01), None
patent: 48056598 (1971-11-01), None
patent: 357183326 (1982-11-01), None
patent: 405013876 (1993-01-01), None
patent: 05 217 995 (1993-08-01), None
patent: 05 299 764 (1993-11-01), None
patent: 06 342 777 (1994-12-01), None
P. Wolfram, et al., J. Cryst. Growth, No. 221 (Dec. 2000) pp. 177-182, MOVPE-based in-situ etching of In(GaAs)P/InP using tert butyl chloride.*
K. Imanaka et al.: “A novel technique to fabricate GaInAsP/InP buried heterostructure laser diodes”, Appl. Phys. Lett. vol. 44, No. 10, May 15, 1984, pp. 975-977.
J.R. Lothian et al.: “Mask erosion during dry etching of deep features in III-V semiconductor structures”, Semiconductor Science and Technology, vol. 7, No. 9, Sep. 1992, pp. 1199-1209.
P. Wolfram et al.: “MOVPE-based in situ etching of In(GaAs)P/InP using tertiarybutylchloride”, Journal of Crystal Growth, No. 221, 2000, pp. 177-182.
R. Gessner et al.: “In-Situ etching of InP based BH Laser Structures in MOVPE”, 2001 International Conference on Indium Phosphide and Related Materials Conference Proceedings, 13thIPRM, May 14-18, 2001, Nara, Japan, pp. 398-399.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

In-situ mask technique for producing III-V semiconductor... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with In-situ mask technique for producing III-V semiconductor..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and In-situ mask technique for producing III-V semiconductor... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3022792