https://doi.org/10.1051/epjap:1999184
Simulation of mesa structures for III-V semiconductors under ion beam etching
Laboratoire des Plasmas et des Couches Minces, Institut des Matériaux de
Nantes (UMR 6502 du CNRS), Université de Nantes,
B.P. 32229,
2 rue de la Houssinière, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3, France
Corresponding author: arhallab@ireste.fr
Received:
7
April
1998
Revised:
11
January
1999
Accepted:
6
April
1999
Published online: 15 June 1999
An argon Ion Beam Etching (IBE) simulation model has been developed to investigate the mesa profile evolution in III-V semiconductors' technology. Particular attention has been focused on the sputtering yield angular dependence effect, on the influence of the material and 2D-morphology of the mask onto the pattern transfer. Experimental sputtering yield versus ion incidence angle is injected into the simulation model. The equations which govern the surface evolution, stem from the current method of characteristics. The simulated profiles show that the trenching phenomenon can appear by only considering the variation of the sputtering yield versus the etched surface canting. This is obtained when neither the ion reflection nor the electric field line deviation are taken into account. On the other hand, the slope transfer from the mask to the GaAs and InP substrates is studied.
PACS: 85.40.Bh – Computer-aided design of microcircuits; layout and modeling / 85.40.Hp – Lithography, mask and pattern transfer / 81.05.Ea – III-V semiconductors
© EDP Sciences, 1999
