Pore formation in silicon by wet etching using micrometre-sized metal particles as catalysts

Au, Pt, or Ag particles with particle sizes of ca. 1 mm were used as catalysts for boring pores in p-type Si( 100) wafers by wet etching in aqueous solutions containing hydrofluoric acid and hydrogen peroxide. Boring speed was fastest when Pt particles were used as the catalyst. However, the sidewalls of the pores and the surface of the wafer were covered with a nanoporous silicon layer of ca. 500 nm in thickness, and the pore showed a tapered structure. When micrometre-sized Ag particles were used, no deep pores were formed because the particles were unstable in the solution. In contrast to Pt and Ag particles, Au particles bored straight pores under some conditions. However, the morphology of pores depended on the shape of the Au particles. Spherical Au particles formed straight pores, whereas non-spherical Au particles formed pores with spiral sidewalls. When Au particles formed aggregates consisting of a small number of particles (< 10 particles), crooked pores tended to be formed. In contrast, when the aggregates were composed of a larger number of particles, straight pores were formed and the boring speed was faster than the pores formed with isolated Au particles.