Defect Etching of Germanium
AssigneeInteruniversitair Microelektronica Centrum vzw (IMEC)
InventorsLaurent Souriau, Valentina Terzieva
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Abstract
The present invention provides an etching solution for revealing defects in a germanium layer, a method for revealing defects in a germanium layer using such an etching solution and to a method for making such an etching solution. The etching solution according to embodiments of the present invention is able to exhibit an etch rate of between 4 nm·min−1 and 450 nm·min−1, which makes it suitable to be used for revealing defects in a thin layer of germanium, i.e. in a layer of germanium with a thickness of between 20 nm and 10 μm, for example between 20 nm and 2 μm, between 20 nm and 1 μm or between 20 nm and 200 nm.
Claims23
An etching solution for revealing defects in a germanium layer, the solution consisting of:
- an oxidizing agent comprising Ce4+ or MnO4−, and
- a solvent.
A method for revealing defects in a thin germanium layer, the method comprising immersing the thin germanium layer in an etching solution consisting of an oxidizing agent comprising Ce4+ or MnO4−, and a solvent, wherein the thin germanium layer has a thickness between 20 nm and 2 μm.
A method for making an etching solution for revealing defects in a germanium layer, the etching solution being able to exhibit an etch rate of between 4 nm·min−1 and 450 nm·min−1, the method comprising:
- providing an oxidizing agent comprising Ce4+ or MnO4− in a container and
- adding a solvent.
A method for revealing defects in a germanium layer, the method comprising immersing a substrate comprising the germanium layer in an etching solution consisting of an oxidizing agent comprising Ce4+ or MnO4−, and a solvent, the etching solution being able to exhibit an etch rate of between 4 nm·min−1 and 450 nm·min−1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.