FROM PHOTOCORROSION TO PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL ETCHING

A short report is given on the technique of photoelectrochemical etching. The basic principles and the existing literature on photoetching are reviewed. It appears that this technique has a number of applications in semiconductor characterization, in optics, in electronic devices fabrication and in solar energy conversion devices. Special attention is devoted to the photoelectrochemical etching processes of III-V compound semiconductors and experimental results of the etching of InP are reported. The micro-reliefs obtained on InP by photoetching are described and possible applications are discussed