Method of manufacturing an optoelectronic semiconductor device
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing an optoelectronic semiconductor device whereby a surface of a semiconductor body, which is built up from a number of semiconductor material layers epitaxially grown on a semiconductor substrate with a top layer of GaAs adjoining the surface and a subjacent layer comprising InP, is provided with an etching mask, after which the top layer and the subjacent layer are locally etched away in a plasma which is generated in a gas mixture comprising SiCl4 and Ar, characterized in that CH4 is added to the gas mixture in which the plasma is generated.
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing an optoelectronic semiconductor device whereby a surface (1) of a semiconductor (2) built up from a number of layers of semiconductor material (4, 5, 6, 7) grown epitaxially on a semiconductor substrate (3), with a top layer (4) of GaAs adjoining the surface (1) and a subjacent layer (5) comprising InP, in particular made of (Alx Ga1-x)y In1-y P with 0.5<x<0.8 and 0.4<y<0.6, is provided with an etching mask (8), after which the top layer (4) and the subjacent layer (5) are locally etched in a plasma generated in a gas mixture comprising SiCl4 and Ar. According to the invention, CH4 is added to the gas mixture in which the plasma is generated. This measure leads to the creation of a smooth surface during etching of both layers, and in particular during etching of the layer comprising InP. The walls (10) of the ridge (9) formed in the layers are also smooth and steep.
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Citations
8 Claims
- 1. A method of manufacturing an optoelectronic semiconductor device whereby a surface of a semiconductor body, which is built up from a number of semiconductor material layers epitaxially grown on a semiconductor substrate with a top layer of GaAs adjoining the surface and a subjacent layer comprising InP, is provided with an etching mask, after which the top layer and the subjacent layer are locally etched away in a plasma which is generated in a gas mixture comprising SiCl4 and Ar, characterized in that CH4 is added to the gas mixture in which the plasma is generated.
Specification