Extremely low surface recombination velocities in black silicon passivated by atomic layer deposition

Journal Article · Mon May 07 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4714546· OSTI ID:22025543

Otto, Martin ^[1]; Kroll, Matthias; Kaesebier, Thomas; Tuennermann, Andreas ^[2]; Salzer, Roland ^[3]; Wehrspohn, Ralf B ^[1]

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1. Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, mu MD Group-Institute of Physics, Heinrich-Damerow-Strasse 4, 06120 Halle (Germany)
2. Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena, Institute of Applied Physics, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena (Germany)
3. Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials Halle, Walter-Huelse-Str. 1, 06120 Halle (Germany)

We investigate the optical and opto-electronic properties of black silicon (b-Si) nanostructures passivated with Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The b-Si nanostructures significantly improve the absorption of silicon due to superior anti-reflection and light trapping properties. By coating the b-Si nanostructures with a conformal layer of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} by atomic layer deposition, the surface recombination velocity can be effectively reduced. We show that control of plasma-induced subsurface damage is equally important to achieve low interface recombination. Surface recombination velocities of S{sub eff}<13 cm/s have been measured for an optimized structure which, like the polished reference, exhibits lifetimes in the millisecond range.

• OSTI ID: 22025543
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 100, Issue 19; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
DAMAGE
DEPOSITION
FABRICATION
INTERFACES
LAYERS
LIFETIME
NANOSTRUCTURES
PASSIVATION
PLASMA
RECOMBINATION
REFLECTION
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON
SURFACES
TRAPPING