We analyzed the dry etching of perovskite oxides using argon-based inductively coupled plasmas (ICP) for photonics applications. Various chamber conditions and their effects on etching rates have been demonstrated based on Z-cut lithium niobate (LN). The measured results are predictable and repeatable and can be applied to other perovskite oxides, such as X-cut LN and barium titanium oxide (BTO). The surface roughness is better for both etched LN and BTO compared with their as-deposited counterparts as confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Both the energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) methods have been used for surface chemical component comparisons, qualitative and quantitative, and no obvious surface state changes are observed according to the measured results. An optical waveguide fabricated with the optimized argon-based ICP etching was measured to have -3.7 dB/cm loss near 1550 nm wavelength for Z-cut LN, which validates this kind of method for perovskite oxides etching in photonics applications.

我们分析了使用基于氩的电感耦合等离子体（ICP）对光子学应用进行钙钛矿氧化物的干法蚀刻。基于Z切铌酸锂（LN），已证明了各种腔室条件及其对蚀刻速率的影响。测量结果是可预测和可重复的，可以应用于其他钙钛矿氧化物，例如X切LN和钡钛氧化物（BTO）。原子力显微镜（AFM）证实，与蚀刻后的LN和BTO相比，蚀刻后的LN和BTO的表面粗糙度更好。能量色散X射线能谱法（EDS）和X射线光电子能谱法（XPS）都已用于表面化学成分的比较，定性和定量，并且根据测量结果未观察到明显的表面状态变化。