Luminescent porous silicon synthesized by visible light irradiation

Abstract

Photosynthesis of porous silicon is reported for the first time with visible‐light irradiation in a hydrofluoric acid solution, which does not need any electrodes for anodization. The photosynthesized porous layer consisted of microparticles, and the photoluminescence spectra were very close to those of anodized porous silicons. The formation of the porous layer was dependent on the wavelength of the incident light, and the simultaneous irradiation of an ultraviolet light did not form the porous layer. The mechanism is discussed with the quantum confinement model of the porous layer.