Peculiarity of porous silicon formed in the transition regime

Electrochemical anodization in the transition regime, between porous silicon formation region and electropolishing region, of monocrystalline silicon was investigated. Using this process bright and stable photoluminescence could be obtained on a very large range of substrate resistivities: p=12-0.005 Ωcm for p-type silicon and p = 20-0.001 Ωcm for n-type substrates. Photoluminescence spectra, Fourier Transform IR (FTIR) absorbance and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) measurements are reported. Investigations showed that anodic silicon suboxide was formed on the surface. The porous structure obtained in the transition regime is suggested to consist of silicon crystallites built inside an anodic oxide.