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Optimization of the Surface Structure on Black Silicon for Surface Passivation
Xiaojie Jia1,2, Chunlan Zhou3,4, Wenjing Wang1,2
1The Key Laboratory of Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic System, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), Beijing, China.
Nanoscale Research Letters
|March 19, 2017
Summary
Optimizing the metal-catalyzed chemical etching (MCCE) method for black silicon significantly enhances minority carrier lifetime. This improvement, achieved with an aluminum oxide (Al2O3) passivation layer, boosts solar cell efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Semiconductor Physics
- Photovoltaics
Background:
- Black silicon offers excellent anti-reflection properties, making it valuable for solar cells.
- High surface recombination velocity in black silicon hinders solar cell efficiency.
- Passivation layers are crucial for mitigating surface recombination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To improve the effective minority carrier lifetime of black silicon.
- To optimize the metal-catalyzed chemical etching (MCCE) method for black silicon fabrication.
- To investigate the passivation effect of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) thin films.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of single-side black silicon on n-type wafers using MCCE and a spray method.
- Deposition of Al2O3 passivation layer using atomic layer deposition (ALD).
- Surface treatment using NH4OH/H2O2/H2O solution and etching under illumination.
Main Results:
- Effective minority carrier lifetime increased from 161 μs to 333 μs after surface cleaning.
- Al2O3 passivation layer effectively reduced surface recombination.
- Etching under illumination further improved the lifetime's value and uniformity.
Conclusions:
- Optimized MCCE with Al2O3 passivation significantly enhances black silicon performance for photovoltaics.
- Surface treatments and in-situ illumination are effective strategies for improving minority carrier lifetime.
- This work provides a pathway for developing more efficient silicon-based solar cells.
