Abstract
In this study, we have fabricated and characterized the silicon [Si] wire solar cells with conformal ZnO nanorod antireflection coating [ARC] grown on a Al-doped ZnO [AZO] seed layer. Vertically aligned Si wire arrays were fabricated by electrochemical etching and, the p-n junction was prepared by spin-on dopant diffusion method. Hydrothermal growth of the ZnO nanorods was followed by AZO film deposition on high aspect ratio Si microwire arrays by atomic layer deposition [ALD]. The introduction of an ALD-deposited AZO film on Si wire arrays not only helps to create the ZnO nanorod arrays, but also has a strong impact on the reduction of surface recombination. The reflectance spectra show that ZnO nanorods were used as an efficient ARC to enhance light absorption by multiple scattering. Also, from the current-voltage results, we found that the combination of the AZO film and ZnO nanorods on Si wire solar cells leads to an increased power conversion efficiency by more than 27% compared to the cells without it.
Highlights
In recent decades, most commercial solar cells are based on crystalline silicon [c-Si], but there is increasing efforts on thin film solar cells as well as third generation solar cells which require the use of nano/ microstructures for high efficiency and low cost [1]
We report the fabrication of highly ordered SiMW solar cells with conformal ZnO nanorod antireflection coating (ARC) grown on an Al-doped ZnO (AZO) seed layer
We have fabricated the SiMW solar cells having ZnO nanorod ARC grown on the AZO seed layer and characterized their optical and photovoltaic properties
Summary
Most commercial solar cells are based on crystalline silicon [c-Si], but there is increasing efforts on thin film solar cells (second generation) as well as third generation solar cells which require the use of nano/ microstructures for high efficiency and low cost [1]. Prior to ZnO nanorod growth, AZO thin films were grown on high aspect ratio Si microwire [SiMW] arrays as a seed layer by atomic layer deposition [ALD] system. We introduced the AZO thin film as a buffer layer facilitating the nucleation and alignment of ZnO nanorods because AZO thin films are attractive due to their good conductivity, high transparency, and relatively low cost [19,20,21,22]. We report the fabrication of highly ordered SiMW solar cells with conformal ZnO nanorod ARC grown on an AZO seed layer. AZO films were prepared by the ALD process, and ZnO nanorods grown on the as-prepared AZO seed layer were synthesized using hydrothermal growth methods. AZO seed layer and ZnO nanorods growth AZO thin films have been prepared by ALD technique using trimethylaluminum [TMAl] and diethylzinc [DEZn] which were used as metal precursors for Zn and Al, respectively. 100 mW/cm with a radiant power energy meter (model 70260; Oriel Instruments, Irvine, CA)
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