Oxidative-gravimetric porosimetry of macroporous silicon

A simple nondestructive method to find the internal surface area, porosity, pore diameter, and pore density in macroporous silicon with through channels is suggested and tested. The porosity p is determined from the mass loss upon anodizing, and the surface area per unit volume, S _v , from the mass of SiO₂ formed on the pore surface upon thermal oxidation. The relations are given for calculation of the average pore diameter d and pore density N from the obtained S _v and p. Dependences of the specific surface area and porosity on the resistivity of initial n-Si in the range ρ = 3–25 Θ cm have been studied for samples with ordered and self-organized “lattices” of macropores. The obtained values are within the limits p = 27–50%, S _v = 2800–6000 cm²/cm³, d = 1.9–6.5 μm, and N = 1.4?10 × 10⁶ cm^?2, in agreement with the data fumished by microscopy.