Simultaneous platinum deposition and formation of a photoluminescent porous silicon layer

A method is presented for simultaneously producing porous silicon and depositing platinum on silicon from a platinum and fluoride solution operating at the rest potential. The resulting layers display visible photoluminescence. Quantitative electrochemical measurements demonstrate that the platinum ions act as an oxidizing agent for silicon, and that the silicon oxidation reaction proceeds in the porous silicon regime when the solution parameters are properly chosen. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.