Issue 40, 2023

Plasma-free metal-assisted chemical etching producing three-dimensional gallium nitride structures

Abstract

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a third-generation wide bandgap semiconductor well-suited for power electronics and ultraviolet optoelectronics. Traditional plasma-based dry etching is widely used for producing three-dimensional (3D) GaN structures, nevertheless resulting in plasma-induced surface damage, which is unfavorable for device performance. This paper seeks to provide a plasma-free metal-assisted chemical etching (MacEtch) method as an alternative to the traditional dry etching method to fabricate 3D GaN structures. As a novel wet etching method, MacEtch is able to produce various GaN structures with dimensions from several to hundreds of micrometers with a nearly vertical sidewall profile. The formation process and mechanism of the GaN structures, and the influence of the etchant components are carefully studied. By means of potassium hydroxide post-treatment, GaN structures with vertical and smooth sidewalls are produced. MacEtch of GaN in this work has demonstrated simplicity and versatility for fabricating a wide range of 3D GaN structures with the etching mechanism fully elucidated.

Graphical abstract: Plasma-free metal-assisted chemical etching producing three-dimensional gallium nitride structures

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
01 Aug 2023
Accepted
11 Sep 2023
First published
15 Sep 2023

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2023,11, 13707-13713

Plasma-free metal-assisted chemical etching producing three-dimensional gallium nitride structures

Y. Liao, Y. J. Kim, S. An and M. Kim, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2023, 11, 13707 DOI: 10.1039/D3TC02731G

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements