Effect of HF Concentration on the PS Structures Prepared by Photoelectrochemical Etching

Abstract

Porous silicon was fabricated at p-n junction wafer byphotoelectrochemical (PEC) etching. Silicon wafer with various electrolytecontaining different HF concentrations was used to explain PS formation by thereaction at the Si/ electrolyte interface. An investigation of the dependence on HFconcentration to formed PS layer was made. The surface morphology of PS layerwas study as a function of HF concentration. Pillar like structures are formed atlow HF concentration and pores structures are obtained a at higher HFconcentration (40%). The etching rate increases with increasing HF concentrationcausing faster silicon dissolution. Thus the total pillar volume would increase byincreasing the HF concentration.

Keywords

• porous silicon
• photo electrochemical etching
• etching rate
• hf concentration