Fabrication of PECVD grown n-i-p silicon nanowire solar cells

Silicon nanowires have been shown to have strong light trapping properties making them a promising photovoltaic material. In this study, silicon nanowires, grown by RF plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), are incorporated as the absorbing layer in n-i-p solar cells. Silicon nanowires a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in2010 35th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference pp. 003302 - 003305
Main Authors Adachi, M M, Karim, K S
Format Conference Proceeding
LanguageEnglish
Published IEEE 01.06.2010
Subjects
Nanoscale devices
Passivation
Photovoltaic cells
Reflectivity
Silicon
Substrates
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Summary:Silicon nanowires have been shown to have strong light trapping properties making them a promising photovoltaic material. In this study, silicon nanowires, grown by RF plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), are incorporated as the absorbing layer in n-i-p solar cells. Silicon nanowires are fabricated at a temperature of 375 °C by Vapor Liquid Solid (VLS) method. Nanowire solar cells have an average specular reflectance of 6.3% as compared to 22.6% for the thin film amorphous silicon (a-Si) device (over λ = 350 nm - 750 nm). Similarly the average diffuse reflectance of the nanowire devices is 4.9% as compared to 9.4% for the thin film a-Si device. External quantum efficiency measurements indicate the largest contributor to collection efficiency losses is from the catalyst impurity used for nanowire growth.
ISBN:9781424458905
1424458900
ISSN:0160-8371
DOI:10.1109/PVSC.2010.5616926