A method for treating a substrate includes receiving the substrate in a vacuum process chamber. The substrate includes a III-V film layer disposed on the substrate. The III-V film layer includes an exposed surface, an interior portion underlying the exposed surface, and one or more of the following: Al, Ga, In, N, P, As, Sb, Si, or Ge. The method further includes altering the chemical composition of the exposed surface and a fraction of the interior portion of the III-V film layer to form an altered portion of the III-V film layer using a first plasma treatment, removing the altered portion of the III-V film layer using a second plasma treatment, and repeating the altering and removing of the III-V film layer until a predetermined amount of the III-V film layer is removed from the substrate.

A method for treating a substrate includes receiving the substrate in a vacuum process chamber. The substrate includes a III-V film layer disposed on the substrate. The III-V film layer includes an exposed surface, an interior portion underlying the exposed surface, and one or more of the following: Al, Ga, In, N, P, As, Sb, Si, or Ge. The method further includes altering the chemical composition of the exposed surface and a fraction of the interior portion of the III-V film layer to form an altered portion of the III-V film layer using a first plasma treatment, removing the altered portion of the III-V film layer using a second plasma treatment, and repeating the altering and removing of the III-V film layer until a predetermined amount of the III-V film layer is removed from the substrate.

A method for treating a substrate includes receiving a substrate in a vacuum process chamber. The substrate includes a III-V film layer disposed on the substrate. The III-V film layer includes an exposed surface, an interior portion underlying the exposed surface, and one or more of the following: Al, Ga, In, N, P, As, Sb, Si, or Ge. The method further includes altering the chemical composition of the exposed surface and a fraction of the interior portion of the III-V film layer to form an altered portion of the III-V film layer using a hydrogen-based plasma treatment, removing the altered portion of the III-V film layer using a chlorine-based plasma treatment, and repeating the altering and removing of the III-V film layer until a predetermined amount of the III-V film layer is removed from the substrate.

A method for treating a substrate includes receiving a substrate in a vacuum process chamber. The substrate includes a III-V film layer disposed on the substrate. The III-V film layer includes an exposed surface, an interior portion underlying the exposed surface, and one or more of the following: Al, Ga, In, N, P, As, Sb, Si, or Ge. The method further includes altering the chemical composition of the exposed surface and a fraction of the interior portion of the III-V film layer to form an altered portion of the III-V film layer using a hydrogen-based plasma treatment, removing the altered portion of the III-V film layer using a chlorine-based plasma treatment, and repeating the altering and removing of the III-V film layer until a predetermined amount of the III-V film layer is removed from the substrate.