Large area self-assembled masking for photonic applications

Ordered porous structures for photonic application were fabricated on p- and n-type silicon by means of masking against ion implantation with Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films. LB films from Stober silica spheres [J. Colloid Interface Sci. 26, 62 (1968)] of 350 nm diameter were applied in the boron and phosphorus ion-implantation step, thereby offering a laterally periodic doping pattern. Ordered porous silicon structures were obtained after performing an anodic etch and were then removed by alkaline etching resulting in the required two-dimensional photonic arrangement. The LB silica masks and the resulting silicon structures were studied by field emission scanning electron microscope analysis. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.