Porous silicon formation by photoetching

Abstract

The literature on the photoetching technique of preparing photoluminescent mesoporous silicon films using both hydrofluoric acid-based and alkali electrolytes is reviewed. The benefits of using an incoherent light source and specific oxidizing agents are highlighted. The technique is particularly useful for creating thin porous regions in n-type Si wafers, SOI wafers, micromachined wafers, or those that contain electronic circuitry.