Efficient Si photovoltaic devices with integrated micro/nano holes

Abstract

Efficient light harvesting in a thin layer of crystalline Si can be realized by implementing nanoscale pillars and holes to the device structure. The major drawback of the pillars and holes based photovoltaic devices is high surface to volume ratio, contributing to an increase in surface recombination rate of the photo-generated carriers. The common techniques used in pillars/holes fabrication such as dry etching make the surface even worse by bombarding it with high energy ions. Therefore, such damaged surfaces of high aspect ratio structures need to be effectively passivated. In this study, we demonstrate a hole based thin crystalline Si photovoltaic device with enhanced open circuit voltage and short circuit current after a successful surface passivation process through a wet oxidation. In addition, the effect of passivation layer fabricated by rapid thermal oxide growth on photo response is investigated. A successful fabrication of thin crystalline Si solar cells can lead to the applications of ultra-thin, highly efficient, flexible and wearable energy sources.