Nanostructured pyramidal black silicon with ultra-low reflectance and high passivation

This paper investigates effects of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) layer thickness towards properties of black silicon (b-Si) fabricated by two-step metal-assisted chemical etching for potential application in photovoltaic (PV) devices. Ag NPs with different layer thicknesses (1.3-5.1 µm) are deposited on monocrystalline silicon (mono c-Si) wafers by electroless chemical deposition in AgNO 3 /HF aqueous solution for 10-40 s. This is followed by etching in HF:H 2 O 2 :DI H 2 O aqueous solution for 20 s. Surface morphological investigation confirms presence of b-Si nanowires with height of 250-577 nm and diameter of 100-200 nm. The b-Si nanowires suppress broadband reflectance from the wafers over 300-1100 nm wavelength region, due to refractive index grading effect. Sample with Ag NPs layer thickness of 5.1 µm exhibits b-Si nanowires with average height of 577 nm and average diameter of 200 nm after etching. This sample demonstrates the lowest weighted average reflectance of 5.5% compared to other samples. This sample exhibits absorption of 96.5% at wavelength of 600 nm. The enhanced broadband light absorption leads to maximum potential short-circuit current density (J sc(max)) of 39.7 mA/cm 2 , or 51% relative enhancement compared to planar reference sample.

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“…This is expressed in Eq. (1) [14,15], where R(λ) is the reflection and S(λ) represents the AM1.5G solar spectrum.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of silver nanoparticles layer thickness towards properties of black silicon fabricated by metal-assisted chemical etching for photovoltaics

2020

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“…The excellent properties of self-assembled nanostructures can be obtained by large area adjustment of the geometric appearance; for example, the pore size, hole spacing, etc., can be continuously adjusted from tens of nanometers to hundreds of nanometers [ 24 , 30 , 31 , 32 ]. In addition, the equipment is simple, the process is mature and stable, and there is no upper limit of area [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]. These advantages make self-assembled pattern transfer a highly competitive method for large-area fabrication of nanostructures [ 24 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, the equipment is simple, the process is mature and stable, and there is no upper limit of area [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]. These advantages make self-assembled pattern transfer a highly competitive method for large-area fabrication of nanostructures [ 24 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 ]. Zhiyong Fan et al proposed a hole-shaped AAO template to replicate the nano-cone pillar-shaped PI substrate and then directly fabricated a thin film of a-Si:H solar cells on it.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High Anti-Reflection Large-Scale Cup-Shaped Nano-Pillar Arrays via Thin Film Anodic Aluminum Oxide Replication

et al. 2022

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Surface anti-reflection (AR) with nanometer-scaled texture has shown excellent light trapping performance involving optical devices. In this work, we developed a simple and lithography-free structure replication process to obtain large scale surface cup-shaped nano-pillar (CSNP) arrays for the first time. A method of depositing was used for pattern transfer based on PMMA pre-coated through-hole anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) thin film (~500 nm), and eventually, the uniformity of the transferred nanostructures was guaranteed. From the spectrum (250 nm~2000 nm) dependent measurements, the CSNP nanostructured Si showed excellent AR performance when compared with that of the single-polished Si. Moreover, the CSNP was found to be polarization insensitive and less dependent on incidence angles (≤80°) over the whole spectrum. To further prove the excellent antireflective properties of the CSNP structure, thin film solar cell models were built and studied. The maximum value of Jph for CSNP solar cells shows obvious improvement comparing with that of the cylinder, cone and parabola structured ones. Specifically, in comparison with the optimized Si3N4 thin film solar cell, an increment of 54.64% has been achieved for the CSNP thin film solar cell.

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“…Most of these panels use Silicon solar cells, which are progressively migrating towards PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Solar Cell) technology, since optimum cost / efficiency ratios are currently achieved with such technology [1]. For even better improved efficiency, PERC have been combined with Black-Silicon (B-Si) which is an extremely promising material for photovoltaic applications due to its low light reflection losses [2,3]. Black Silicon (b-Si), as the name suggests absorbs the majority of photons incident on the surface and therefore appears black to the naked eye.It consists of a nano-textured surface.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, these nanostructures as an antireflection layer increase the surface area of the solar cells, and increase the amount of sunlight that is captured rather than reflected back from the cells. When the surface structures are much larger than the wavelength of light, the phenomenon can be explained intuitively by geometric optics based on multiple reflections, while in the case of b-Si , nano-structured surfaces provide a gradual variation of the refractive index that minimizes reflections (Figure 1) [9,3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimizing the Radius of Curvature of Black Silicon Peaks for Solar Cell Using Matlab Simulations

Al-Rubaiee¹,

Plaza

2021

eijs

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As part of our research on efficiency improvement of PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Solar Cell), achieving very low reflectivity values of solar cell surface is a must. One of the most advance technologies to do so is the use of advanced texturing for the front surface of the cells. This texture, also known as Black Silicon, consists of peaks and valleys of nano metric dimensions and capable of dramatically reducing the reflectance of the front surface. A reflectance around 5% was reached ,using simulation, when using a Black-Silicon texturing with height of 50nm with peak rounding of 5nm. Even though this texturing may affect other parameters such as series resistance or surface recombination, as a starting point, simulation was used to find the optimum peak rounding, where the radius of curvature of the peak is maximum, while keeping reflectance as low as possible.

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Nanostructured pyramidal black silicon with ultra-low reflectance and high passivation

Cited by 16 publications

References 41 publications

Effects of silver nanoparticles layer thickness towards properties of black silicon fabricated by metal-assisted chemical etching for photovoltaics

Effects of silver nanoparticles layer thickness towards properties of black silicon fabricated by metal-assisted chemical etching for photovoltaics

High Anti-Reflection Large-Scale Cup-Shaped Nano-Pillar Arrays via Thin Film Anodic Aluminum Oxide Replication

Optimizing the Radius of Curvature of Black Silicon Peaks for Solar Cell Using Matlab Simulations

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