Fabrication and optical simulation of vertically aligned silicon nanowires

Abstract

Silicon nanowires (Si-NWs) have been considered widely as a perfect light absorber with strong evidence of enhanced optical functionalities. Here we report finite-difference time-domain simulations for Si-NWs to elucidate the key factors that determine enhanced light absorption, energy flow behavior, electric field profile, and excitons generation rate distribution. To avoid further complexity, a single Si-NW of cylindrical shape was modeled on c-Si and optimized to elucidate the aforementioned characteristics. Light absorption and energy flow distribution confirmed that Si-NW facilitates to confine photon absorption of several orders of enhancement whereas the energy flow is also distributed along the wire itself. With reference to electric field and excitons generation distribution it was revealed that Si-NW possesses the sites of strongest field distributions compared to those of flat silicon wafer. To realize the potential of Si-NWs-based thin film solar cell, a simple process was adopted to acquire vertically aligned Si-NWs grown on c-Si wafer. Further topographic characterizations were conducted through scanning electron microscope and tunneling electron microscope-coupled energy-dispersive spectroscopy.