Method of dry-etching evaluation using quantum dots

Abstract New dry-etch processes, such as low-power reactive-ion etching (RIE) and electron cyclotron resonance, offer very low levels of residual lattice damage. These levels are below the resolution limits of traditional characterisation methods like Raman, photoluminescence, Schottky diode, etc. We show that the single-electron charging of a quantum dot fabricated using dry etching offers a very sensitive method of damage detection. For SiCl 4 SiF 4 RIE of GaAs we find a defect density of around 10 15 cm −3 , which is at the level of the background impurity concentration in the as-grown material.