Scalable synthesis of vertically aligned, catalyst-free gallium arsenide nanowire arrays: towards optimized optical absorption

Abstract

Recently nanostructure materials have emerged as a building block for constructing next generation of photovoltaic devices. Nanowire based semiconductor solar cells, among other candidates, have shown potential to produce high efficiency. In a radial pn junction light absorption and carrier collection can be decoupled. Also nanowires can increase choice of materials one can use to fabricate high efficiency tandem solar cells by relaxing the lattice-match constraint. Here we report synthesis of vertical III-V semiconducting nanowire arrays using Selective-Area Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (SA-MOCVD) technique, which can find application in various optoelectronic devices. We also demonstrate nanosphere lithography (NSL) patterning techniques to obtain ordered pattern for SAMOCVD. Reflection spectrum of nanowires array made by this technique shows excellent light absorption performance without additional anti-reflection coating layer. Thus, we show that highly ordered nanowire structure is 'not needed' to maximize the absorption in vertical nanowire array. Our scalable approach for synthesis of vertical semiconducting nanowire can have application in high throughput and low cost optoelectronic devices including photovoltaic devices.