Photoelectrochemistry of silicon in HF solution

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical, photoelectrocatalytic, and electrochemical processes of silicon anodic oxidation and hydrogen evolution in aqueous HF solution are discussed in terms of thermodynamic stability of Si, oxides SiO, SiO2, and Si surface hydrides. It is shown that photoelectrochemical oxidation of n-type low-resistivity silicon to SiO2 is catalyzed by Si\(^{+}\) photo-hole formation, whereas in the case of p-type Si, the feasibility of this reaction is predetermined by p-type conductivity. It is suggested that anodic oxidation of Si goes through the stage of SiO oxide formation and its subsequent oxidation to SiO2. Such mechanism accounts for chemical inertness of Si phase in HF solutions as well as for selective, anisotropic, and isotropic etching of Si within E ranges from \(-0.5\) to 0.35 V, \(0.35-0.8~V,\) and \(E > 0.8\) V, respectively. Hydrogen evolution reaction on Si surface proceeds at very large overpotential (\(\geq 0.5\) V) through the stage of surface Si hydride formation: \(\mathrm {Si + H_{2}O + e^{-} \rightarrow (SiH)_{surf} + OH^{-}}\) (the rate determining step) and \(\mathrm {(SiH)_{surf} + H_{2}O + e^{-} \rightarrow Si + H_{2} + OH^{-}}\). Illumination-related effects of surface reactions relevant to selective and anisotropic etching and nano/micro-structuring of Si surface are discussed.