Non-Destructive Inter-Level Dielectric via in-Line Process Monitoring by Atomic Force Microscopy

A new application using atomic force microscopy (AFM) for in-line process control monitoring (PCM) of an interlevel dielectric via etching step is reported. The AFM with its near atomic-level resolution is capable of nondestructively measuring whether micron-sized vias have been etched to completion. Etch completion is determined by comparing the AFM measured etch depth of adjacent via holes through {approximately}4000 {Angstrom} thick Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} over Au-based ohmic and W gate metallizations. Due to etch selectivity, of the SF{sub 6}/0{sub 2} reactive ion etch (RIIE) generated plasma, the ohmic metal acts as an etch stop whereas the W-based refractory gate continues to etch. For etch times beyond endpoint in the range of 20 to 50%, the AFM measured via etch depth differences is 250 to 400 {Angstrom} when comparing via depths over ohmic metal and W gate metal. This etch depth difference is a specific marker for etch completion and it is measured nondestructively at a point in the process where rework is still a feasible option

Plasma-induced-damage of GaN

Plasma-induced-damage often degrades the electrical and optical properties of compound semiconductor devices. Despite the fact that the binding energy of GaN is larger than that for more conventional III--V compounds, etch damage is still a concern. Photoluminescence measurements and atomic force microscopy have been used to determine the damage induced in GaN by exposure to both electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) and inductively coupled plasmas (ICP) generated Ar plasmas

Depth and thermal stability of dry etch damage in GaN Schottky diodes

GaN Schottky diodes were exposed to N2 or H2 Inductively Coupled Plasmas prior to deposition of the rectifying contact. Subsequent annealing, wet photochemical etching or (NH4)2S surface passivation treatments were examined for their effect on diode current- voltage characteristics. We found that either annealing at 750 °C under N2, or removal of ~500-600 Å of the surface essentially restored the initial I-V characteristics. There was no measurable improvement in the plasma-exposed diode behavior with (NH4)2S treatments

ICP etching of GaAs via hole contacts

Deep etching of GaAs is a critical process step required for many device applications including fabrication of through-substrate via holes for monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs). Use of high-density plasmas, including inductively coupled plasmas (ICP), offers an alternative approach to etching vias as compared to more conventional parallel plate reactive ion etch systems. This paper reports ICP etching of GaAs vias at etch rates of about 5.3 {mu}m/min with via profiles ranging from highly anistropic to conical

High-frequency operation of 0.3 {mu}m GaAs JFETs for low-power electronic

GaAs Junction Field Effect Transistors (JFETs) have attracted renewed attention for low-power, low-voltage electronics. JFETs have a significant advantage over MESFETs for low-power operation due to their higher gate barrier to current flow resulting from p/n junction gate. This paper reports recent advances in an all ion implanted self-aligned GaAs JFET with a gate length down to 0.3 {mu}m. By employing shallopw SiF implants next to the gate, dielectric sidewall spacers, and 50 keV source and drain implants, JFETs with a f{sub t} up to 49 GHz with good pinchoff and subthreshold characteristics have been realized. In addition, the JFET benefits from the use of shallow Zn or Cd implantation to form abrupt p{sup +}/n gate profiles

Low Resistivity Ohmic Contacts to Moderately Doped N-Gaas With Low Temperature Processing

A low-temperature process for forming ohmic contacts to moderately doped GaAs has been optimized using a PdGe metallization scheme. Minimum specific contact resistivity of 1.5 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} {minus}cm{sup 2} has been obtained with a low anneal temperature of 250 C. Results for optimizing both time and temperature are reported and compared to GeAu n-GaAs contacts. Material compositions was analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and circuit metal interconnect contact resisitivity to the low-temperature processed PdGe contacts is reported. For the lowest temperature anneals considered, excess Ge on the ohmic contact layer is suspected of degrading interconnect metal contacts, while higher temperature anneals permitted interconnect metal formation with negligible contact resistivity. Atomic force microscopy measurements showed that the PdGe surface morphology is much more uniform than standard GeAu contacts

Gallium nitride junction field effect transistors for high-temperature operation

GaN is an attractive material for use in high-temperature or high-power electronic devices due to its high bandgap (3.39 eV), high breakdown field ({approximately}5 {times} 10{sup 6} V/cm), high saturation drift velocity (2.7 {times} 10{sup 7} cm/s), and chemical inertness. To this end, Metal Semiconductor FETs (MESFETs), High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs), Heterostructure FETs (HFETs), and Metal Insulator Semiconductor FETs (MISFETs) have all been reported based on epitaxial AlN/GaN structures (Khan 1993a,b; Binari 1994 and 1995). GaN Junction Field Effect Transistors (JFETs), however, had not been reported until recently (Zolper 1996b). JFETs are attractive for high-temperature operation due to the inherently higher thermal stability of the p/n junction gate of a JFET as compared to the Schottky barrier gate of a MESFET or HFET. In this paper the authors present the first results for elevated temperature performance of a GaN JFET. Although the forward gate properties are well behaved at higher temperatures, the reverse characteristics show increased leakage at elevated temperature. However, the increased date leakage alone does not explain the observed increase in drain current with temperature. Therefore, they believe this first device is limited by temperature activated substrate conduction

Chlorine-based plasma etching of GaN

The wide band gap group-III nitride materials continue to generate interest in the semiconductor community with the fabrication of green, blue, and ultraviolet light emitting diodes (LEDs), blue lasers, and high temperature transistors. Realization of more advanced devices requires pattern transfer processes which are well controlled, smooth, highly anisotropic and have etch rates exceeding 0.5 {micro}m/min. The utilization of high-density chlorine-based plasmas including electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) systems has resulted in improved GaN etch quality over more conventional reactive ion etch (RIE) systems

In-situ monitoring of etch by-products during reactive ion beam etching of GaAs in chlorine/argon

Mass spectrometry of the plasma effluent during Reactive Ion Beam Etching (RIBE) of GaAs using an Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) source and a Cl{sub 2}/Ar gas chemistry shows that AsCl{sub 3}, AsCl{sub 2} and AsCl are all detected as etch products for As, while GaCl{sub 2} is the main signal detected for the Ga products. The variation in selective ion currents for the various etch products has been examined as a function of chuck temperature (30--100 C), percentage Cl{sub 2} in the gas flow, beam current (60--180 mA) and beam voltage (200--800 V). The results are consistent with AsCl{sub 3} and GaCl{sub 3} being the main etch product species under their conditions, with fragmentation being responsible for the observed mass spectra

Behavior of W and WSi(x) Contact Metallization on n- and p- Type GaN

Sputter-deposited W-based contacts on p-GaN (N{sub A} {approximately} 10{sup 18} cm{sup {minus}3}) display non-ohmic behavior independent of annealing temperature when measured at 25 C. The transition to ohmic behavior occurs above {approximately} 250 C as more of the acceptors become ionized. The optimum annealing temperature is {approximately} 700 C under these conditions. These contacts are much more thermally stable than the conventional Ni/Au metallization, which shows a severely degraded morphology even at 700 C. W-based contacts may be ohmic as-deposited on very heavily doped n-GaN, and the specific contact resistance improves with annealing up to {approximately} 900 C