Chlorine reactive ion beam etching of InSb and InAs0.15Sb0.85/InSb strained-layer superlattices

We report the first successful application of Cl2 reactive ion beam etching (RIBE) to the dry etching of bulk InSb and InAs0.15Sb0.85/InSb strained-layer superlattices (SLSs). Etching was performed in a load-locked ultrahigh vacuum chamber using an electron cyclotron resonance ion source. Etching rates for InSb and InAs0.15Sb0.85/InSb SLS with a 500 eV Cl2 beam at 0.6 mA/cm2 are 280 and 240 nm/min, respectively, compared to 310 nm/min for GaAs. The sputter yield for Cl2 RIBE in this antimonide system is double that obtained by Ar ion milling under identical conditions.