Electrochemical etching process to tune the diameter of arrayed deep pores by controlling carrier collection at a semiconductor–electrolyte interface

An approach to control the diameter of high-aspect-ratio pores formed into a silicon wafer by an electrochemical etching process is reported. Hole (h+) was involved in the etching reaction and the collection of the h+ was the key factor. Artificial micro-cavities were fabricated on the silicon surface prior to the etching. The depth of the space charge region (SCR), Schottky barrier on the silicon-electrolyte interface, was adjusted regarding the depth of the micro-cavities by applied overpotential and specific resistance of the silicon wafer. The collection of h+ at the tip of the cavity site was widely controlled by the adjusted SCR. Consequently the electrochemically etched domain at the cavity site was actively tuned, and then high-aspect-ratio pore with the controlled diameter was formed. The diameter was tuned by the SCR depth which was controlled by the overpotential and the specific resistance. The diameter tuning mechanism worked under the mask-free condition.