Optimization of electrochemical etching parameters improves the quality factor of porous silicon microcavities

Porous silicon is a promising and versatile material for modern technologies with a wide range of potential applications. Here we demonstrate a two-fold increase in the quality factor of porous silicon microcavities by gradient change of electrochemical etching times for each layer of microcavity, which compensates for the gradual decrease in the etching rate during sample fabrication. The results of this work will improve the performance of nanophotonic devices based on porous silicon for applications in optical communications and sensors for diagnostics and environmental monitoring.