A process comprising the following steps of: a) providing a device comprising: a GaN/InGaN structure comprising an electrically conductive doped GaN layer locally covered with InGaN mesas comprising a doped InGaN layer and an undoped or weakly doped InGaN layer, an electrically insulating layer covering the electrically conductive doped GaN layer between the mesas, b) connecting the electrically conductive doped GaN layer and a counter-electrode (500) to a voltage or current generator, c) dipping the device and the counter-electrode into an electrolyte solution, d) applying a voltage or current between the electrically conductive doped GaN layer and the second electrode to porosify the doped InGaN layer, e) forming an InGaN layer by epitaxy on the InGaN mesas, whereby a relaxed epitaxially grown InGaN layer is obtained.

There is provided a structure manufacturing method, including: preparing a wafer at least whose surface comprises Group III nitride crystal in a state of being immersed in an etching solution containing peroxodisulfate ions; and irradiating the surface of the wafer with light through the etching solution; wherein the group III nitride crystal has a composition in which a wavelength corresponding to a band gap is 310 nm or more, and during irradiation of the light, the surface of the wafer is irradiated with a first light having a wavelength of 200 nm or more and less than 310 nm under a first irradiation condition, and is irradiated with a second light having a wavelength of 310 nm or more and less than a wavelength corresponding to the band gap under a second irradiation condition controlled independently of the first irradiation condition.

A method for etching a semiconductor structure (110) is provided, the semiconductor structure comprising a sub-surface quantum structure (30) of a first III-V semiconductor material,beneath a surface layer (31) of a second III-V semiconductor material having a charge carrier density of less than 5×10.sup.17 cm.sup.−3. The sub-surface quantum structure may comprise, for example, a quantum well, or a quantum wire, or a quantum dot. The method comprises the steps of exposing the surface layer to an electrolyte (130), and applying a potential difference between the first III-V semiconductor material and the electrolyte, to electrochemically etch the sub-surface quantum structure (30) to form a plurality of nanostructures, while the surface layer (31) is not etched. A semiconductor structure, uses thereof, and devices incorporating such semiconductor structures are further provided.

A process comprising the following steps of: a) providing a device comprising: a GaN/InGaN structure comprising an electrically conductive doped GaN layer locally covered with InGaN mesas comprising a doped InGaN layer and an undoped or weakly doped InGaN layer, an electrically insulating layer covering the electrically conductive doped GaN layer between the mesas, b) connecting the electrically conductive doped GaN layer and a counter-electrode (500) to a voltage or current generator, c) dipping the device and the counter-electrode into an electrolyte solution, d) applying a voltage or current between the electrically conductive doped GaN layer and the second electrode to porosify the doped InGaN layer, e) forming an InGaN layer by epitaxy on the InGaN mesas, whereby a relaxed epitaxially grown InGaN layer is obtained.

There is provided a method for manufacturing a structure, including: forming a recess portion by performing a first etching to a surface of a member composed of Group III nitride; and flattening a bottom of the recess portion by performing a second etching to the bottom, wherein in forming the recess portion, a flat portion and a protruding portion are formed on the bottom of the recess portion, the protruding portion being raised with respect to the flat portion because it is less likely to be etched by the first etching than the flat portion, and in flattening the bottom, by etching the protruding portion by the second etching, the protruding portion is lowered.

There is provided a structure manufacturing method, including: preparing a wafer at least whose surface comprises Group III nitride crystal in a state of being immersed in an etching solution containing peroxodisulfate ions; and irradiating the surface of the wafer with light through the etching solution; wherein the group III nitride crystal has a composition in which a wavelength corresponding to a band gap is 310 nm or more, and during irradiation of the light, the surface of the wafer is irradiated with a first light having a wavelength of 200 nm or more and less than 310 nm under a first irradiation condition, and is irradiated with a second light having a wavelength of 310 nm or more and less than a wavelength corresponding to the band gap under a second irradiation condition controlled independently of the first irradiation condition.

This invention provides a novel structure formed from GaN material using PEC etching. The structure comprises a member constituted by a single crystal of gallium nitride and the member includes a recess having an aspect ratio of 5 or more.

A structure manufacturing method including: preparing a treatment object that includes an etching target having a surface to be etched comprising a conductive group III nitride and a region to be etched, a conductive member in contact with at least a portion of a surface of a conductive region of the etching target that is electrically connected to the region to be etched, and a mask formed on the surface to be etched and comprising a non-conductive material; and etching the group III nitride by immersing the treatment object in an alkaline or acidic etching solution containing peroxodisulfate ions as an oxidizing agent that accepts electrons, and irradiating the surface to be etched with light through the etching solution, wherein an edge that defines the region to be etched is constituted by an edge of the mask without including an edge of the conductive member.

A process of preparing a wafer having a diameter of two inches or more, at least a surface of the wafer being formed from a group III nitride crystal, including preparing an alkaline or acidic etching liquid containing a peroxodisulfate ion as an oxidizing agent that accepts an electron, accommodating the wafer such that the surface of the wafer is immersed in the etching liquid such that the surface of the wafer is parallel with a surface of the etching liquid; and radiating light from the surface side of the etching liquid onto the surface of the wafer without agitating the etching liquid. First and second etching areas disposed at an interval from each other are defined on the surface of the wafer. In the process of radiating the light onto the surface of the wafer, the light is radiated perpendicularly onto surfaces of the first and second etching areas.

There is provided a structure manufacturing method, including: preparing an etching target with at least one surface comprising group III nitride; then in a state where the etching target is immersed in an etching solution containing peroxodisulfate ions, irradiating the surface of the etching target with light through the etching solution, and generating sulfate ion radicals from the peroxodisulfate ions and generating holes in the group III nitride, thereby etching the group III nitride, wherein in the etching of the group III nitride, the etching solution remains acidic during a period for etching the group III nitride by making the etching solution acidic at a start of etching the group III nitride, and the etching is performed, with a resist mask formed on the surface.