Electrochemical Etching of n-Type Silicon in Fluoride Solutions

Peter M. Hoffmann; Inge E. Vermeir; Peter C. Searson

doi:10.1149/1.1393638

Electrochemical Etching of n-Type Silicon in Fluoride Solutions

Peter M. Hoffmann, Inge E. Vermeir, Peter C. Searson

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Abstract

<div class="line" id="line-25"> The chemistry of silicon surfaces in aqueous fluoride solutions is complex and exhibits many unique features. The etch rate of the hydrogen&hyphen;passivated surface passes through a maximum at about pH 7 and is slow at low and high pH. The density of etching intermediates exhibits a sigmoidal behavior of low density in acidic and high density in basic solutions. We show that the pH dependence of both the etch rate and the density of intermediates can be explained by taking into account the fluoride ion concentration, and the concentrations of molecular HF, the dimer  <img src="https://cfn-live-content-bucket-iop-org.s3.amazonaws.com/journals/1945-7111/147/8/2999/revision1/jes_147_8_2999ieqn1.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAYDKQL6LTV7YY2HIK&Expires=1665681100&Signature=zwZyuiHjtGpdlCU5FGISa2t3uNo%3D"/> ,  <img src="https://cfn-live-content-bucket-iop-org.s3.amazonaws.com/journals/1945-7111/147/8/2999/revision1/jes_147_8_2999ieqn2.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAYDKQL6LTV7YY2HIK&Expires=1665681100&Signature=qcM794YPsXDPC5FA6S9TWfWc8HI%3D"/> , as well as  <img src="https://cfn-live-content-bucket-iop-org.s3.amazonaws.com/journals/1945-7111/147/8/2999/revision1/jes_147_8_2999ieqn3.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAYDKQL6LTV7YY2HIK&Expires=1665681100&Signature=FYaOia1sxwxaaAasI2RB1nrHSEk%3D"/>  and  <img src="https://cfn-live-content-bucket-iop-org.s3.amazonaws.com/journals/1945-7111/147/8/2999/revision1/jes_147_8_2999ieqn4.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAYDKQL6LTV7YY2HIK&Expires=1665681100&Signature=TS%2BK1Ex8Z3E%2BPPd2chgLJZKoFQE%3D"/> .  </div>

Original language	American English
Journal	Journal of the Electrochemical Society
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1149/1.1393638
State	Published - 2000

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Physical Sciences and Mathematics

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@article{58ff68c7ea3c4511a8cc0499e72fbd7d,

title = "Electrochemical Etching of n-Type Silicon in Fluoride Solutions",

abstract = " The chemistry of silicon surfaces in aqueous fluoride solutions is complex and exhibits many unique features. The etch rate of the hydrogen&hyphen;passivated surface passes through a maximum at about pH 7 and is slow at low and high pH. The density of etching intermediates exhibits a sigmoidal behavior of low density in acidic and high density in basic solutions. We show that the pH dependence of both the etch rate and the density of intermediates can be explained by taking into account the fluoride ion concentration, and the concentrations of molecular HF, the dimer  ,  , as well as   and  .  ",

author = "Hoffmann, {Peter M.} and Vermeir, {Inge E.} and Searson, {Peter C.}",

year = "2000",

doi = "10.1149/1.1393638",

language = "American English",

journal = "Journal of the Electrochemical Society",

issn = "1945-7111",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Electrochemical Etching of n-Type Silicon in Fluoride Solutions

AU - Hoffmann, Peter M.

AU - Vermeir, Inge E.

AU - Searson, Peter C.

PY - 2000

Y1 - 2000

N2 - The chemistry of silicon surfaces in aqueous fluoride solutions is complex and exhibits many unique features. The etch rate of the hydrogen&hyphen;passivated surface passes through a maximum at about pH 7 and is slow at low and high pH. The density of etching intermediates exhibits a sigmoidal behavior of low density in acidic and high density in basic solutions. We show that the pH dependence of both the etch rate and the density of intermediates can be explained by taking into account the fluoride ion concentration, and the concentrations of molecular HF, the dimer  ,  , as well as   and  . 

AB - The chemistry of silicon surfaces in aqueous fluoride solutions is complex and exhibits many unique features. The etch rate of the hydrogen&hyphen;passivated surface passes through a maximum at about pH 7 and is slow at low and high pH. The density of etching intermediates exhibits a sigmoidal behavior of low density in acidic and high density in basic solutions. We show that the pH dependence of both the etch rate and the density of intermediates can be explained by taking into account the fluoride ion concentration, and the concentrations of molecular HF, the dimer  ,  , as well as   and  . 

UR - https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1149/1.1393638/pdf

U2 - 10.1149/1.1393638

DO - 10.1149/1.1393638

M3 - Article

SN - 1945-7111

JO - Journal of the Electrochemical Society

JF - Journal of the Electrochemical Society

ER -

Electrochemical Etching of n-Type Silicon in Fluoride Solutions

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