Surface Passivation and Carrier Collection in {110}, {100} and Circular Si Microwire Solar Cells

Ro, Yun Goo; Chen, Renjie; Liu, Ren; Li, Nan; Williamson, Theodore; Yoo, Jinkyoung; Sim, Sangwan; Prasankumar, Rohit P.; Dayeh, Shadi A.

doi:10.1002/aenm.201802154

Title: Surface Passivation and Carrier Collection in {110}, {100} and Circular Si Microwire Solar Cells

Journal Article · 09 October 2018 · Advanced Energy Materials

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201802154 · OSTI ID:1480007

Ro, Yun Goo ^[1]; Chen, Renjie ^[1]; Liu, Ren ^[1]; Li, Nan ^[2]; Williamson, Theodore ^[2]; Yoo, Jinkyoung ^[2]; Sim, Sangwan ^[2]; Prasankumar, Rohit P. ^[2];

^[3]

Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States). Integrated Electronics and Biointerfaces Lab. Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States). Integrated Electronics and Biointerfaces Lab. Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Materials Science and Engineering Program. Dept. of NanoEngineering

Surface recombination is a major bottleneck for realizing highly efficient micro/nanostructure solar cells. Parametric studies of the influence of Si microwire (SiMW) surface-facet orientation (rectangular with flat-facets, {110}, {100} and circular), with a fixed height of 10 µm, diameter (D = 1.5–9.5 µm), and sidewall spacing (S = 2.5–8.5 µm), and mesh-grid density (1–16 mm^-2) on recombination and carrier collection in SiMW solar cells with radial p-n junctions are reported. An effective surface passivation layer composed of thin thermally grown silicon dioxide (SiO₂) and silicon nitride (SiN_x) layers is employed. For a fixed D of 1.5 µm, tight SiMW spacing results in improved short-circuit current density (J_sc = 30.1 mA cm^-2) and sparse arrays result in open-circuit voltages (V_oc = 0.552 V) that are similar to those of control Si planar cells. For a fixed S, smaller D results in better light trapping at shorter wavelengths and higher J_sc while larger D exhibits better light trapping at larger wavelengths and a higher V_oc. With a mesh-grid electrode the power conversion efficiency increases to 15.3%. Finally, these results provide insights on the recombination mechanisms in SiMW solar cells and provide general design principles for optimizing their performance.

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Research Organization:: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Science Foundation (NSF) (United States); USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC04-94AL85000; AC52-06NA25396

OSTI ID:: 1480007

Report Number(s):: LA-UR--18-28250

Journal Information:: Advanced Energy Materials, Journal Name: Advanced Energy Materials Journal Issue: 33 Vol. 8; ISSN 1614-6832

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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14 SOLAR ENERGY
Material Science
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solar cell
surface passivation
surface recombination

Title: Surface Passivation and Carrier Collection in {110}, {100} and Circular Si Microwire Solar Cells

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