Photochemical etching of n -InP as a function of temperature and illumination

Photochemical (PC) etching of n-InP using an Ar+ laser and dilute phosphoric acid solutions was studied as a function of temperature, power, illumination frequency, and duty cycle. The etch rate was found to be independent of time and to increase fourfold by increasing temperature from 20 to 50 °C with an activation energy ≳0.34 eV. Thus the process is found to be reaction rate limited. The etch rate was observed to increase with power for …