Photoelectric effect accelerated electrochemical corrosion and nanoimprint processes on gallium arsenide wafers

Chengxin Guo,^a Lin Zhang,^a Matthew M. Sartin,^a Lianhuan Han,*^b Zhao-Wu Tian,^a Zhong-Qun Tian

^a and Dongping Zhan

*^a

* Corresponding authors

^a State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces (PCOSS), Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Engineering Research Center of Electrochemical Technologies of Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
E-mail: dpzhan@xmu.edu.cn

^b Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, School of Aerospace Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China

Abstract

Here we report photoelectric-effect-enhanced interfacial charge transfer reactions. The electrochemical corrosion rate of n-type gallium arsenide (n-GaAs) induced by the contact potential at platinum (Pt) and GaAs boundaries can be accelerated by the photoelectric effect of n-GaAs. When a GaAs wafer is illuminated with a xenon light source, the electrons in the valence band of GaAs will be excited to the conduction band and then move to the Pt boundaries due to the different work functions of the two materials. This results in an enhanced contact electric field as well as an enlarged Pt/GaAs contact potential. Consequently, in the presence of electrolyte solution, the polarizations of both the Pt/solution interface and the GaAs/solution interface at the Pt/GaAs/solution 3-phase boundary are enhanced. If the accumulated electrons on the Pt side are removed by electron acceptors in the solution, anodic corrosion of GaAs will be accelerated strictly along the Pt/GaAs/solution 3-phase boundary. This photo-enhanced electrochemical phenomenon can increase the corrosion rate of GaAs and accelerate the process of electrochemical nanoimprint lithography (ECNL) on GaAs. The method opens an innovative, highly efficient, low-cost nanoimprint technique performed directly on semiconductors, and it has prospective applications in the semiconductor industry.

This article is part of the themed collections: Celebrating a Century of Excellency in Chemistry at Xiamen University and 2019 Chemical Science HOT Article Collection

Article information

https://doi.org/10.1039/C9SC01978B

Article type

Edge Article

Submitted

21 Apr 2019

Accepted

06 May 2019

First published

07 May 2019

This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry

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Chem. Sci., 2019,10, 5893-5897

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Photoelectric effect accelerated electrochemical corrosion and nanoimprint processes on gallium arsenide wafers

C. Guo, L. Zhang, Matthew M. Sartin, L. Han, Z. Tian, Z. Tian and D. Zhan, Chem. Sci., 2019, 10, 5893 DOI: 10.1039/C9SC01978B

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Chemical Science

Photoelectric effect accelerated electrochemical corrosion and nanoimprint processes on gallium arsenide wafers

Abstract

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Photoelectric effect accelerated electrochemical corrosion and nanoimprint processes on gallium arsenide wafers

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