Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A regenerative electroless etching process produces nanostructured semiconductors in which an oxidant (Ox₁) is used as a catalytic agent to facilitate reaction between a semiconductor and a second oxidant (Ox₂) that would be unreactive (or slowly reactive compared to Ox₁) in the primary reaction. Ox₂ is used to regenerate Ox₁, which can initiate etching by injecting holes into the semiconductor valence band. The extent of reaction is controlled by the amount of Ox₂ added; the reaction rate, by the injection rate of Ox₂. This general strategy is demonstrated specifically to produce highly luminescent nanocrystalline porous, amorphous pillared, and hierarchical porous silicon from the reaction of V₂O₅ in HF(aq) as Ox₁ and H₂O₂(aq) as Ox₂ with a silicon-comprising substrate. The process can be performed on silicon-comprising substrates of arbitrary size and shape including powders, reclaimed shards, wafers, pillared silicon, porous silicon, and silicon nanowires. Luminescence is tuned by adjusting etching conditions.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim