Etching behavior of GaAs/AlGaAs multilayer structure during laser beam scanning

Abstract

The thermochemical etching behavior of GaAs/AlGaAs multilayer structure during laser beam scanning has been studied. The etch rate changes between GaAs and AlGaAs epilayers as the etching process proceeds through the layered sample. The phenomenon can be explained by the difference of thermal parameters of the heterojunction interface. The local temperature rise from laser irradiation has been calculated to investigate etching characteristics for GaAs and AlGaAs. It is concluded that the good thermal confinement at GaAs/AlGaAs interface produces the wider etch width of GaAs layer than that of AlGaAs layer in GaAs/AlGaAs multilayer. The maximum etch rate of the GaAs/A1GaAs multilayer was 32.5 mu m/sec and the maximum etched width ratio of GaAs to AlGaAs was 1.7.