Sn-catalyzed silicon nanowire solar cells with 4.9% efficiency grown on glass

• Published in: Progress in photovoltaics Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 77 - 81
• Main Authors: Cho, Jinyoun, O'Donnell, Benedict, Yu, Linwei, Kim, Ka-Hyun, Ngo, Irène, Cabarrocas, Pere Roca i
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bognor Regis Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2013; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; light trapping; Natural energy; photovoltaic; Photovoltaic conversion; radial junction; silicon nanowire; solar cell; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Performance evaluation; Silicon solar cells; Short circuit currents; Glass; photovoltaic; VLS growth; Coatings; Indium oxide; Texture; Open circuit voltage; Solar cell; Crystalline material; light trapping; Optical trapping; Tin addition; p type semiconductor; n type semiconductor; Zinc oxide; silicon nanowire; ITO layers; Silicon; radial junction; Nanowires
• ISSN: 1062-7995; 1099-159X
• DOI: 10.1002/pip.1245

ABSTRACT We present a single pump‐down process to texture hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells. Mats of p‐type crystalline silicon nanowires were grown to lengths of 1 µm on glass covered with flat ZnO using a plasma‐assisted Sn‐catalyzed vapor‐liquid‐solid process. The nanowires were covered with conformal layers of intrinsic and n‐type hydrogenated amorphous silicon and a sputtered layer of indium tin oxide. Each cell connects in excess of 107 radial junctions over areas of 0.126 cm². Devices reach open‐circuit voltages of 0.8 V and short‐circuit current densities of 12.4 mA cm−2, matching those of hydrogenated amorphous silicon cells deposited on textured substrates. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Using a plasma process to trigger vapor‐liquid‐solid growth with unconventional metals, we integrate mats of Sn‐catalyzed silicon nanowires into hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells. These radial PIN junctions show unprecedented open‐circuit voltages of 0.8 V and short‐circuit current densities of 12.4 mA cm−2. Each cell connects in excess of 10 million wires and is deposited on untextured glass in a single pump down process that shows notable potential for cost reductions.