Using Substrate Removal Technique for GaAs-Based VECSEL Optimization

Abstract

A combination of two types of etching mechanisms: physical etching which relies on physical interaction of particles that erode the surface, and wet/dry etching that relies on chemical reactions to erode the surface, is used to remove substrates with thickness between 300 and 500µm. First, the substrate is mechanically thin down to about 100µm and then wet etching or dry etching is applied. The substrate removal of GaAs was successfully achieved as verified in the x-ray diffraction etch analysis.