KOH based selective wet chemical etching of AlN, AlxGa1−xN, and GaN crystals: A way towards substrate removal in deep ultraviolet-light emitting diode

Abstract

A controllable and smooth potassium hydroxide-based wet etching technique was developed for the AlGaN system. High selectivity between AlN and AlxGa1−xN (up to 12×) was found to be critical in achieving effective substrate thinning or removal for AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet light emitting diodes, thus increasing light extraction efficiency. The mechanism of high selectivity of AlGaN as a function of Al composition can be explained as related to the formation and dissolution of oxide/hydroxide on top of N-polar surface. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopic analysis served as ultimate proof that these hillocks were not related to underlying threading dislocations.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Feb 23, 2015
Source ID
10.1063/1.4913705

Entities

People

  • I. Bryan
  • J. Tweedie
  • L. Hussey
  • Pramod Reddy
  • Ramón Collazo
  • Ronny Kirste
  • Wei Guo
  • Z. Bryan
  • Zlatko Sitar

Organizations

  • Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
  • National Science Foundation
  • North Carolina State University

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Nanofabrication and Microfabrication.
  • Semiconductor Device Technology

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Graphene