Nanoparticle-based etching of silicon surfaces
- Boulder, CO
- Denver, CO
- Evergreen, CO
- Littleton, CO
- Atlanta, GA
- Golden, CO
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
Black multi-crystalline silicon solar cells
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journal | March 2007 |
Black nonreflecting silicon surfaces for solar cells
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journal | May 2006 |
Metal-assisted chemical etching of silicon in HF–H2O2
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journal | July 2008 |
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