Localized Anodic Etching Rates of III–V Semiconductors through Scanning Electrochemical Probe Lithography

III–V compound semiconductors have emerged as critical enablers of advanced optoelectronic systems and microelectronic devices owing to their superior electronic characteristics, exceptional thermal stability, high-efficiency optoelectronic conversion, and radiation-hardened performance. Unraveling their electrochemical etching mechanisms is critical for precision micro/nanomanufacturing. This work systematically investigates the kinetic mechanisms of electrochemical etching in doped III–V semiconductors (n/p-GaAs, n/p-InP, and n/p-GaP) using scanning electrochemical probe lithography (SECPL). The results reveal that the etching kinetics are fundamentally governed by the materials’ intrinsic properties, including band-gap energy and dopant distribution profiles. Furthermore, to address lateral excessive etching, a dual-potential processing mode was introduced to suppress hole diffusion via electrostatic confinement, achieving high-precision three-dimensional (3D) micro/nanostructures with controlled morphologies. This breakthrough advances electrochemical fabrication of III–V semiconductors for next-generation photonic and electronic devices.