Formation of photoluminescent n-type macroporous silicon: Effect of magnetic field and lateral electric potential

Metal electrode-free electrochemical etching of low doped n-type silicon substrates, under the combined effect of magnetic and lateral electric field, is used to fabricate photoluminescent n-type porous silicon structures in dark conditions. A lateral gradient in terms of structural characteristics (i.e. thickness and pore dimensions) along the electric field direction is formed. Enhancement of electric and magnetic field resulted in the increase of pore density and a change in the shape of the macropore structure, from circular to square morphology. Broad photoluminescence (PL) emission from 500 to 800 nm, with a PL peak wavelength ranging from 571 to 642 nm, is attributed to the wide range of microporous features present on the porous silicon layer.