Abstract

We have used Ar laser light at 5145 Å to induce rapid localized etching of InP samples immersed in aqueous solutions of phosphoric acid. Unlike earlier reports of light-enhanced wet-chemical etching of various materials,^1-3 we observe no etching of the samples in the absence of the intense light. We used {100) bulk InP samples; typically the etchant was a (1:9) solution of concentrated H₃P0₄ in deionized water. As an example of the etch rates attained, we have etched 100-μm diam holes through 250-μm thick samples in 30 sec using 2 W of light focused on the sample to a spot diameter of ~20 μm.

© 1983 Optical Society of America