Fundamentals of III-V Semiconductor Electrochemistry and Wet Etching Processes: Br 2 Etching Properties onto InP

Etching mechanism, of HBr/Br2 solutions on InP, is studied using approaches as electrochemical characterization XPS analyses, Indium dosage by GF-AAS, SEM analysis of cross sectional shapes of etching features. As on GaAs we observed the characteristic opposition toward the dark reduction of Br2 for n&p InP. The electrochemistry supports a description of the etching similar to the GaAs one, supposing a "chemical model" governs the process. Nevertheless XPS analyses of surface after etching shows that the etching implies oxidation processes that can only considered as resulting from the etching mechanism. So side oxidation process including hole injection contribution in the Br2 reduction can be proposed opening a new element for discussion of the model that describe the etching properties of halogen oxidizing species as Br2