Impact of the Alcohol-Containing Electrolytes on the Macropores Etching in n-Si

摘要

We present an analysis of the macropore growth conditions in n-Si for electrolytes containing different alcohols: methanol, ethanol and 2-propanol. The voltamograms for all types of electrolytes are measured for different illumination intensities. The typical features of the pores obtained are for the same etching conditions are also shown and discussed, in particular the pore diameter, depth and volume. The results show that the alcohols wet the electrode surface very well, which leads to more homogenous etching. For some applications, one of the most important features of pores is the smoothness of the pore walls. The results obtained in this study highlight the role of alcohols on the dissolution kinetics of the SiO_2, which has a direct impact on the pore growth process and on the pore wall smoothness.