Fabrication of silicon nanostructures using metal-assisted etching in NaBF sub(4)

In this report, we demonstrate that sodium tetrafluoroborate (NaBF sub(4)) and silver nitrate (AgNO sub(3)) aqueous solution can be successfully used as wet etchant to produce silicon nanostructured layers with anti-reflective properties. The morphology of the resulting nanostructures was studied as a function of various etching parameters, including reactant concentrations, temperature, time, substrate orientation, and doping level. The resulting nanostructures have been characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and reflectivity measurements.