Patterning of zinc oxide thin films

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were accurately and reliably delineated by wet chemical etching in 5% NH/sub 4/Cl in water and by reactive ion etching in a SiCl/sub 4/ plasma. With the etch solution at 55 degrees C, the ZnO etch rate was approximately 300 nm/min. Aluminum, silicon and silicon dioxide were not attacked by the etch solution. In the RIE process, substrate heating was essential during plasma etching. With a RF power density of 0.3 W/cm/sup 2/ and substrate temperature of 150 degrees C, well defined clean ZnO thin film features were obtained with an etch rate of 25 nm/min.<
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