Skip to main content
OSTI.GOVU.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
 

Nanoparticle-based etching of silicon surfaces

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1034302
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6]
  1. Boulder, CO
  2. Denver, CO
  3. Evergreen, CO
  4. Littleton, CO
  5. Atlanta, GA
  6. Golden, CO
+ Show Author Affiliations
A method (300) of texturing silicon surfaces (116) such to reduce reflectivity of a silicon wafer (110) for use in solar cells. The method (300) includes filling (330, 340) a vessel (122) with a volume of an etching solution (124) so as to cover the silicon surface 116) of a wafer or substrate (112). The etching solution (124) is made up of a catalytic nanomaterial (140) and an oxidant-etchant solution (146). The catalytic nanomaterial (140) may include gold or silver nanoparticles or noble metal nanoparticles, each of which may be a colloidal solution. The oxidant-etchant solution (146) includes an etching agent (142), such as hydrofluoric acid, and an oxidizing agent (144), such as hydrogen peroxide. Etching (350) is performed for a period of time including agitating or stirring the etching solution (124). The etch time may be selected such that the etched silicon surface (116) has a reflectivity of less than about 15 percent such as 1 to 10 percent in a 350 to 1000 nanometer wavelength range.
Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-99GO10337
Assignee:
Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC (Golden, CO)
Patent Number(s):
8,075,792
Application Number:
12/053,372
OSTI ID:
1034302
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (3)

Black multi-crystalline silicon solar cells journal March 2007
Metal-assisted chemical etching of silicon in HF–H2O2 journal July 2008
Black nonreflecting silicon surfaces for solar cells journal May 2006

Similar Records

Copper-assisted, anti-reflection etching of silicon surfaces
Patent · Tue Aug 26 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · OSTI ID:1151783
Wet-chemical systems and methods for producing black silicon substrates
Patent · Tue May 19 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · OSTI ID:1179804
Device fabrication by plasma etching
Patent · Tue Oct 07 00:00:00 EDT 1980 · OSTI ID:6624656

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE