The mechanical deformation induced by reactive ion etching (RIE) of rectangular ridge waveguides in GaAs and InP has been investigated by photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence techniques. Several trends were identified and are discussed. First, it is concluded that the RIE process itself is the source of the mechanical deformation. A compressive volume change occurs mainly within the ridge (with a maximum close to the vertical etched sidewalls), extending outside the ridges, up to several micrometers below the bottom etched surface. An anisotropic deformation also appears, again mainly close to the etched sidewalls and below the bottom etched surface. A narrow area under tensile stress was also identified, localized outside the ridges and in a shallow region below the bottom etched surface. Cumulative, overlapping effects are seen inside the ridges where the compressive stress fields originating at the vertical etched sidewalls contribute to an overall compression inside the ridge which increases as the ridge width decreases. In addition, a tensile stress is also observed outside the ridge, strongly enhanced by the presence of neighboring ridges. These conclusions are significant for the design of photonic structures. Because of the photoelastic effect, which is important in GaAs and InP, the properties of devices such as waveguides might be affected by the mechanical stress described herein.
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14 December 2020
Research Article|
December 10 2020
Mechanical stress in InP and GaAs ridges formed by reactive ion etching
Jean-Pierre Landesman
;
Jean-Pierre Landesman
a)
1
University of Rennes, INSA Rennes, CNRS, Institut FOTON—UMR 6082
, F-35000 Rennes, France
a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: [email protected]
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Marc Fouchier;
Marc Fouchier
b)
2
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA/LETI-Minatec, Grenoble INP, LTM
, F-38054 Grenoble, France
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Erwine Pargon
;
Erwine Pargon
2
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA/LETI-Minatec, Grenoble INP, LTM
, F-38054 Grenoble, France
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Solène Gérard;
Solène Gérard
c)
3
University of Rennes, CNRS, IPR – UMR 6251
, F-35000 Rennes, France
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Névine Rochat;
Névine Rochat
4
Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA-LETI
, F-38000 Grenoble, France
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Christophe Levallois;
Christophe Levallois
1
University of Rennes, INSA Rennes, CNRS, Institut FOTON—UMR 6082
, F-35000 Rennes, France
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Merwan Mokhtari
;
Merwan Mokhtari
c)
3
University of Rennes, CNRS, IPR – UMR 6251
, F-35000 Rennes, France
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Philippe Pagnod-Rossiaux;
Philippe Pagnod-Rossiaux
5
3SP Technologies S.A.S
, F-91625 Nozay, France
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François Laruelle;
François Laruelle
5
3SP Technologies S.A.S
, F-91625 Nozay, France
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Camille Petit-Etienne
;
Camille Petit-Etienne
2
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA/LETI-Minatec, Grenoble INP, LTM
, F-38054 Grenoble, France
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Mauro Bettiati
;
Mauro Bettiati
5
3SP Technologies S.A.S
, F-91625 Nozay, France
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Juan Jiménez;
Juan Jiménez
6
Departamento de Fisica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Valladolid
, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
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Daniel T. Cassidy
Daniel T. Cassidy
7
Department of Engineering Physics, McMaster University
, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L7, Canada
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a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: [email protected]
b)
Present address: Attolight AG, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
c)
Present address: 3SP Technologies S.A.S, F-91625 Nozay, France.
J. Appl. Phys. 128, 225705 (2020)
Article history
Received:
October 11 2020
Accepted:
November 27 2020
Citation
Jean-Pierre Landesman, Marc Fouchier, Erwine Pargon, Solène Gérard, Névine Rochat, Christophe Levallois, Merwan Mokhtari, Philippe Pagnod-Rossiaux, François Laruelle, Camille Petit-Etienne, Mauro Bettiati, Juan Jiménez, Daniel T. Cassidy; Mechanical stress in InP and GaAs ridges formed by reactive ion etching. J. Appl. Phys. 14 December 2020; 128 (22): 225705. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0032838
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