Generation and Auto-Revealing of Dislocations in Si During Macropore Etching

The influence of the variations in the photoelectrochemical etching regimes of macropores in n-Si (within the limits of V. Lehmann optimums) on the quality of structures was studied. At some regimes, generation of screw (cylindrical or spiral) dislocations during the etching process under normal conditions was observed. First, dislocations are formed, and then macropores are etched, mainly on near-surface traces of dislocations. We call this process “auto-revealing”. The values of residual lattice distortions due to deformation of the silicon plate during the etching process were determined by x-ray diffraction on a structure obtained in the acceptable boundary regime.