Current transient analysis of the oxidizing process in the complete anodicregime of the Si-HF system

Potential step experiments from anodic potential to open circuit potential in the electrochemical system Si-HF result in a transient current peaks. pr ovided that oxide was present at the electrode surface. The current transie nts can be analyzed quantitatively and provide information about the anodic oxide and the electrode processes. ttl this paper it is shown that the com plete I-V-characteristics (including the region of porous silicon layer (PS L) formation) is governed by the oxidation process, that the points of infl ection (and not the maxima) indicate changes in electrode processes, and th at several linear relations between electrode processes and external parame ters can be obtained from evaluating the experiments. The findings are cons istent with the view that the electrode processes can be seen as results of the interaction of current bursts which may be synchronized by stochastic processes in time and space and indicate in addition that simple, albeit no t yet fully understood mechanisms cause the amazing multitude of phenomena occurring at the Si-liquid interface. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All ri ghts reserved.