Method of anisotropic dry etching of thin film semiconductors

摘要

A microwave ECR plasma etching method and apparatus, including a plasma generating chamber coupled to a separate treatment chamber for supporting a Group II-VI sample to be dry etched, are tailored for the dry etching of Group II-VI compound semiconductors resulting in highly anisotropic etched patterns in Group II-VI materials having vertical side walls taking advantage of the ionicity of the constituents of Group II-VI compounds and utilizing a low ion energy level which will not damage the crystalline integrity of the Group II-VI material. The apparatus may further include counter bias means and/or transverse magnetic field means in a region between the plasma generating chamber and the treatment chamber to improve the reactionary quality of the species and lower the energy level of the species without losing control and directionality of the species flow into the treatment chamber thereby preventing damage to the crystalline structure of the etched II-VI sample.