Material-selective etching of InP and an InGaAsP alloy

Wet chemical etchants are inexpensive and can be employed easily in device fabrication. Material-selective etchants extend the design flexibility for devices with heterostructures. Several etchants on (100) InP and LPE-grown (100) InGaAsP are studied with emphasis on smooth crystal surfaces and well-defined mesa-structures by use of photoresist. The best results are obtained with the system glycerine: HCl HClO₄ for preferential attack of InP and with the system H₂O H₂SO₄ H₂O₂ for preferential etching of InGaAsP. Detailed information is given on the etching solutions investigated, on the etching conditions and the etching rates of the most useful etchants.