The United States of America As Represented by the United States

James L Dishman

Carol I Ashby

A method of selectively photochemically dry etching a first semiconductor material of a given composition and direct bandgap Eg.sub.1 in the presence of a second semiconductor material of a different composition and direct bandgap Eg.sub.2, wherein Eg.sub.2 &gt;Eg.sub.1, said second semiconductor material substantially not being etched during said method, comprises subjecting both materials to the same photon flux and to the same gaseous etchant under conditions where said etchant would be ineffective for chemical etching of either material were the photons not present, said photons being of an energy greater than Eg.sub.1 but less than Eg.sub.2, whereby said first semiconductor material is photochemically etched and said second material is substantially not etched.

Composition/bandgap selective dry photochemical etching of semiconductor

A method of selectively photochemically dry etching a first semiconductor material of a given composition in the presence of a second semiconductor material which is of a composition different from said first material, said second material substantially not being etched during said method, comprises subjecting both materials to the same photon flux of an energy greater than their respective direct bandgaps and to the same gaseous chemical etchant under conditions where said etchant would be ineffective for chemical etching of either material were the photons not present, said conditions also being such that the resultant electronic structure of the first semiconductor material under said photon flux is sufficient for the first material to undergo substantial photochemical etching under said conditions and being such that the resultant electronic structure of the second semiconductor material under said photon flux is not sufficient for the second material to undergo substantial photochemical etching under said conditions. In a preferred mode, the materials are subjected to a bias voltage which suppresses etching in n- or p- type material but not in p- or n-type material, respectively; or suppresses etching in the more heavily doped of two n-type or two p-type materials.

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Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

James L Dishman