METHOD FOR ETCHING mesa-ELEMENTS BASED ON EPITAXIAL p-i-n STRUCTURES GaN/AlGaN Russian patent published in 2016 - IPC H01L31/18 

FIELD: chemistry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to technology of photodiodes based on epitaxial p-i-n structures GaN/Al_xGa_1-xN, converting radiation of ultraviolet spectrum region. The invention can be used in production of matrix photosensitive elements in devices of civil and military purpose. Essence of the invention consists in the fact that etching of heteroepitaxial structures GaN/Al_xGa_1-xN after application of standard photolithographic methods is carried out with application of preliminarily known rates of etching separate Al_xGa_1-xN layers with different values of Al-x part (0.00÷0.65). As etching method used is method of ion-beam etching with Ar (argon) ions. Bombardment with inert gas (Ar) ions at low rates of etching makes it possible to achieve required anisotropy and homogeneity of etching depth. Rate of ion-beam etching with argon ions of epitaxial Al_xGa_1-xN layers reduces with 3-4 fold increase of content of molar part of aluminium in epitaxial layer with change of molar part of aluminium from 0 to 0.65.

EFFECT: possibility to form mesa-structure with multitude of separate p-i-n diodes with provision of required homogeneity of structure etching to layer n⁺-Al_xGa_1-xN and without disruption of etching process.

2 dwg, 1 ex