Abstract
Nanopores and macropores can be formed electrochemically on p‐type silicon depending on the silicon resistivity and composition of the electrolyte. In order to understand if the structural dimensionality of the porous p‐type Si, either nanopore or macropore formation, depends on the electrochemical process at the Si/electrolyte interface, in situ pulsed surface photovoltage (SPV) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements have been undertaken. The SPV and PL studies have been made as a function of the applied current density as well as the electrolyte composition (aqueous or in presence of organic solvent) and the silicon doping density. Main results show that the Si surface is well passivated with preferential formation of ionic species and the Si band bending is around 100 mV, during porous Si formation. It varies slightly with the doping density, but is not affected by the composition of the electrolyte (HF/water and HF/organic solvent). This demonstrates that the chemistry of the electrolyte plays a major role in the formation of macroporous and nanoporous Si, but has still to be determined. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)