Comparing metal assisted chemical etching of N and P-type silicon nanostructures

Abstract

Metal assisted chemical etching is a promising method for fabricating high aspect ratio micro- and nanostructures in silicon. Previous results have suggested that P-type and N-type silicon etches with different degrees of anisotropy, questioning the use of P-type silicon for nanostructures. In this study, we compare processing X-ray zone plate nanostructures in N and P-type silicon through metal assisted chemical etching with a gold catalyst. Fabricated zone plates were cleaved and studied with a focus on resulting verticality, depth and porosity. Results show that for high aspect ratio nanostructures, both N and P-type silicon prove to be viable alternatives exhibiting different etch rates, but similarities regarding porosity and etch direction.