17.1%-Efficient Multi-Scale-Textured Black Silicon Solar Cells without Dielectric Antireflection Coating: Preprint

Conference · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2011.6185835· OSTI ID:1019151

Toor, F; Page, M R; Branz, H M; Yuan, H C

In this work we present 17.1%-efficient p-type single crystal Si solar cells with a multi-scale-textured surface and no dielectric antireflection coating. Multi-scale texturing is achieved by a gold-nanoparticle-assisted nanoporous etch after conventional micron scale KOH-based pyramid texturing (pyramid black etching). By incorporating geometric enhancement of antireflection, this multi-scaletexturing reduces the nanoporosity depth required to make silicon 'black' compared to nanoporous planar surfaces. As a result, it improves short-wavelength spectral response (blue response), previously one of the major limiting factors in 'black-Si' solar cells. With multi-scale texturing, the spectrum-weighted average reflectance from 350- to 1000-nm wavelength is below 2% with a 100-nm deepnanoporous layer. In comparison, roughly 250-nm deep nanopores are needed to achieve similar reflectance on planar surface. Here, we characterize surface morphology, reflectivity and solar cell performance of the multi-scale textured solar cells.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1019151
• Report Number(s): NREL/CP-5200-50707
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANTIREFLECTION COATINGS
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
ETCHING
MONOCRYSTALS
MORPHOLOGY
PERFORMANCE
PV
REFLECTIVITY
SILICON
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SPECTRAL RESPONSE
WAVELENGTHS
antireflection coatings
black silicon
multi-scale texture
pyramid black etching
solar cells