Reactive ion etching of GaAs and InP using SiCl4

High resolution reactive ion etching of GaAs and InP is achieved using SiCl4 as the etching gas. Etching rates and profiles are examined at pressures between 1 and 10 mTorr and power densities from 0.2 to 0.9 W/cm2. Under the proper conditions, it is possible to obtain extremely vertical etch profiles and etch ratios of GaAs relative to masking materials such as Si3N4 and NiCr which exceed 10 to 1.