Selective etching of GaN over AlN using an inductively coupled plasma and an O2/Cl2/Ar chemistry

An alternative method for achieving etching selectivity between GaN and AlN has been demonstrated. The etch rate of AlN was significantly decreased by the addition of a low concentration of O2 to a Cl2–Ar mixture in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching system. The etch rate of GaN in the O2-containing plasma was approximately 15% less than the plasma without the O2 for the same parameters. The pressure and the ICP power were varied to achieve a maximum selectivity of 48 at a pressure of 10 mTorr, a direct current bias of −150 V, and an ICP power of 500 W. The etch rates of GaN and AlN at these parameters were 4800 and 100 Å/min, respectively.