Visible Luminescence of Nanoporous Silicon Using Alternating Current Photo-Assisted Electrochemical Etching for Potential MSM Photodetector

Abstract:

The formation of nanocrystalline porous silicon (PS) was successfully prepared under a novel alternating current (sine-wave a.c. (50 Hz)) photo-assisted electrochemical (ACPEC) etching condition of an n-type (100) silicon (Si) substrate under the illumination of an incandescent white light. As grown Si and PS through conventional direct current(DC) anodization were also included for comparison. The ACPEC formed porous Silicon (PS) with excellent structural and surface morphological characteristic. According to the field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) micrographs, the nanoporous structures exhibited pores with uniform circular structure with estimated sizes, ranging between 20.5 nm and 30.5 nm. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed an increase in the surface roughness induced by porosification. As compared to the as-grown Si, PS by AC method exhibited a substantial visible photoluminescence (PL) intensity enhancement with blue-shift associated with the quantum confinement effect of the nanostructure Si. Thermally treated nickel (Ni) finger contact was deposited on the PS to form MSM photodetector. Ni/PS MSM photodetector showed lower dark and higher photocurrent compared to the as grown Si device.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 846)
• Pages: 274-282
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.846.274
• Online since: March 2016
• Authors: Ainorkhilah Mahmood, Zainuriah Hassan, Naser Mahmoud Ahmed, Ellis Shahiri, Alhan Farhanah Abd Rahim, Mohamad Syarizal Abdullah
• Keywords: Alternating Current Photo-Assisted Electrochemical Etching, Photoluminescence (PL), Porous Silicon, Raman Spectroscopy

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