Fabrication of high quality factor GaAs/InAsSb photonic crystal microcavities by inductively coupled plasma etching and fast wet etching

Abstract

The authors demonstrate high quality factor GaAs-based L9 photonic crystal microcavities (PCMs) with embedded InAsSb quantum dots with emission in 1.3 μm at room temperature. The fabrication process uses reactive ion beam etching with a CHF3/N2 gas mixture and reactive ion etching with a BCl3/N2 gas mixture to form PCMs on air-suspended slabs. An optimum N2 partial flux content of 0.65 and a successful removal of deposits formed during the membrane release by a fast wet etching in HF provide optical quality factors (Q-factors) as high as ∼30 000.