The effect of the doping level of starting silicon single crystals on structural parameters of porous silicon produced by electrochemical etching

The effect of comparatively small changes in the free carrier concentration in a heavily doped $p$-type single-crystal silicon on the structural parameters of porous layers formed as a result of its anodic etching has been found. The pronounced influence exerted by the hole concentration on the structural porous silicon parameters being studied is explained on the basis of the concept of electrochemical pore-formation in silicon crystals as a self-organized cooperative process accompanied by the injection of electrons from the region of the chemical reaction at the propagation front of pores.