Free engineering of buried oxide patterns in GaAs/AlAs epitaxial structures

The formation of a buried aluminium oxide from the surface of a GaAs/AlAs epitaxial structure is presented and validated through the localised electroluminescence in a light emitting diode device. This oxidation method relies on photolithography, plasma treatment and wet thermal oxidation. This enables localised buried oxide areas to be formed by a vertical oxidation process applied from the surface. Because of this new technology, the shape of the oxidised areas can be freely designed, unlike when using the standard lateral oxidation technology.