Structural, optical and electrical characterization of nanostructured porous silicon: Effect of current density

Abstract

In this work, an attempt has been made to fabricate porous silicon (PS) from p-type crystalline silicon (c-Si) wafers by using the electrochemical etching process at six different current densities (40, 60, 75, 100, 125 and 150mA/cm2) with constant time (30min). The influence of varying current density on morphological, structural, optical and electrical properties of PS samples were analyzed by using SEM, AFM, XRD, FT-IR, PL and electrical (I–V) techniques, respectively. Microstructural images clearly showed that the average pore diameter and thickness increase with increase current densities up to 100mA/cm2 and decrease for 125mA/cm2. It could be related to breaking of pore walls and exposing to the next layer of c-Si. Further increase the current density about 150mA/cm2, the average pore diameter increase as in the case of first layer (40–100mA/cm2) of c-Si wafer. The result is reflected in PL emission band (at 708nm) and the intensity of the emission band shifted towards red region. The X-ray diffraction pattern confirm the formation of porous silicon as appeared as a broad peak at 2θ=69.3° belongs to (400) reflection. The FTIR study supports the X-ray diffraction analysis that shows the vibrational bands of S–H2 and Si–O–Si at 2109cm−1, 915cm−1 and 615cm−1 and 1107cm−1, respectively. The I–V characteristic of PS exhibited rectifying behavior with different values of ideality factor (η) and barrier height (ϕb). It is concluded from the experimental results that the formed pores developed up to 100mA/cm2 in the top layer of c-Si and the formed pores exposed to the next layer of c-Si when increase the high electrochemical etching process (above 100mA/cm2).