This article is cited in 2 papers

Electrochemical etching of $p$–$n$-GaN/AlGaN photoelectrodes

A. S. Usikov^ab, H. Helava^b, A. Nikiforov^c, M. V. Puzyk^ad, B. P. Papchenko^a, Yu. V. Kovaleva^a, Yu. N. Makarov<sup>be

a</sup> St. Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics
^b Nitride Crystals Inc., USA
^c Boston University, Photonics Center, USA
^d Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg
^e Nitride Crystals Group, St.-Petersburg

Abstract: Specific features of etching of GaN/AlGaN $p$–$n$ structures in a KOH-based electrolyte have been studied. It was found that the corrosion process first passes across $p$ layers through vertical channels associated with threading structural defects. Then, the corrosion process occurs in the lateral direction along $n$ layers of the structure, with local hollows and voids thereby formed. The lateral etching is due to the presence of positive piezoelectric charges at boundaries of $n$-AlGaN and $n$-GaN layers and positively charged ionized donors in the space-charge region of the $p$–$n$ junction.

Received: 16.12.2015

 English version: Technical Physics Letters, 2016, 42:5, 482–485

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