Method of preferentially etching optically flat mirror facets in InGaAsP/InP heterostructures

摘要

Highly reproducible, optically flat mirror facets are created by contacting a predetermined area of the InGaAsP/InP heterostructure system with a chemical etchant for a time period sufficient to expose a substantially vertical crystallographic surface throughout the entire heterostructure system. Contact of the exposed surface with HCl causes a preferred crystallographic plane to be exposed as an optically flat mirror facet.