On the mechanism of porous silicon formation

A new qualitative mechanism of pore nucleation and initial stages of porous silicon (por-Si) growth was proposed. The emphasis was on the charge excha nge between Si2+ ions generated by electrolytic or chemical oxidation of in itial silicon (disproportionation reaction). The mechanism eliminates, to a large extent, the contradictions typical of earlier proposed schemes of po r-Si growth; in particular, it explains the morphological features of por-S i produced under various experimental conditions. The impact of light in th ese processes was also considered. (C) 2000 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".