  Electrochemical etching of silicon in hydrofluoride containing electrolytes
leads to pore formation for low and to electropolishing for high applied
current. The transition between pore formation and polishing is accompanied by
a change of the valence of the electrochemical dissolution reaction. The local
etching rate at the interface between the semiconductor and the electrolyte is
determined by the local current density. We model the transport of reactants
and reaction products and thus the current density in both, the semiconductor
and the electrolyte. Basic features of the chemical reaction at the interface
are summarized in law of mass action type boundary conditions for the transport
equations at the interface. We investigate the linear stability of a planar and
flat interface. Upon increasing the current density the stability flips either
through a change of the valence of the dissolution reaction or by a nonlinear
boundary conditions at the interface.
