Effect of the pn junction engineering on Si microwire-array solar cells

We report on the impact of the doping concentration design on the performance of silicon microwire arrays as photovoltaic devices. We have fabricated arrays with different p- and n-doping profiles and thicknesses, obtaining mean efficiencies as high as 9.7% under AM 1.5G solar illumination. The results reveal the importance of scaling the microwire diameter with the depletion width resulting from doping concentrations. The doping of the core should be kept low in order to reduce bulk recombination. Furthermore, the thickness of the n-shell should be kept as thin as possible to limit the emitter losses

Characterization and analysis of InAs/p-Si heterojunction nanowire-based solar cell

The growth of compound semiconductor nanowires on the silicon platform has opened many new perspectives in the area of electronics, optoelectronics and photovoltaics. We have grown a 1 x 1 mm(2) array of InAs nanowires on p-type silicon for the fabrication of a solar cell. Even though the nanowires are spaced by a distance of 800 nm with a 3.3% filling volume, they absorb most of the incoming light resulting in an efficiency of 1.4%. Due to the unfavourable band alignment, carrier separation at the junction is poor. Photocurrent increases sharply at the surrounding edge with the silicon, where the nanowires do not absorb anymore. This is further proof of the enhanced absorption of semiconductors in nanowire form. This work brings further elements in the design of nanowire-based solar cells

Characterization and analysis of InAs/p-Si heterojunction nanowire-based solar cell

The growth of compound semiconductor nanowires on the silicon platform has opened many new perspectives in the area of electronics, optoelectronics and photovoltaics. We have grown a 1 x 1 mm(2) array of InAs nanowires on p-type silicon for the fabrication of a solar cell. Even though the nanowires are spaced by a distance of 800 nm with a 3.3% filling volume, they absorb most of the incoming light resulting in an efficiency of 1.4%. Due to the unfavourable band alignment, carrier separation at the junction is poor. Photocurrent increases sharply at the surrounding edge with the silicon, where the nanowires do not absorb anymore. This is further proof of the enhanced absorption of semiconductors in nanowire form. This work brings further elements in the design of nanowire-based solar cells

Electrical contacts to single nanowires: a scalable method allowing multiple devices on a chip. Application to a single nanowire radial p-i-n junction

Semiconductor nanowires are currently at the forefront of research in the areas of nanoelectronics and energy conversion. In all these studies, realising electrical contacts and statistically relevant measurements is a key issue. We propose a method that enables to contact hundreds of nanowires on a single wafer in an extremely fast electron beam lithography session. The method is applied to nanowire-based radial GaAs p-i-n junction. Current-voltage characteristics are shown, along with scanning photocurrent mapping

Field-effect passivation on silicon nanowire solar cells

Surface recombination represents a handicap for high-efficiency solar cells. This is especially important for nanowire array solar cells, where the surface-to-volume ratio is greatly enhanced. Here, the effect of different passivation materials on the effective recombination and on the device performance is experimentally analyzed. Our solar cells are large area top-down axial n-p junction silicon nanowires fabricated by means of Near-Field Phase-Shift Lithography (NF-PSL). We report an efficiency of 9.9% for the best cell, passivated with a SiO2/SiN (x) stack. The impact of the presence of a surface fixed charge density at the silicon/oxide interface is studied

High Yield of GaAs Nanowire Arrays on Si Mediated by the Pinning and Contact Angle of Ga

GaAs nanowire arrays on Silicon offer great perspectives in the :optoeleetronics and solar cell industry. To fulfill this potential, gold-free growth in predetermined positions should be achieved. Ga-assisted growth of GaAs nano-wires in the form of array has been shown to be challenging and difficult to reproduce. In this work, we provide some of the key elements for obtaining a high yield of GaAs nanowires on patterned Si in a reproducible way: contact angle and pinning of the Ga droplet inside the apertures achieved by the modification of the surface properties of the nanoscale areas exposed to growth. As an example, an amorphous silicon layer between the crystalline substrate and the Oxide mask results in a contact angle around 90 degrees, leading to a high yield of vertical nanowires: Another example for tuning the Contact angle is anticipated, native oxide with controlled thickness. This work opens new perspectives for the rational and reproducible growth of GaAs nanowire arrays on silicon

Polymer Brush Guided Formation of Conformal, Plasmonic Nanoparticle-Based Electrodes for Microwire Solar Cells

This report explores the use of sacrificial thin polymer films prepared by surface-initiated polymerization as a template for the fabrication of highly conformal metal nanoparticle solar cell electrodes. As a first proof-of-principle, the use of this method is demonstrated to prepare top electrodes on planar and microwire-based silicon solar cell devices. These metal nanoparticle films are dual functional in that they not only mediate charge transport, but also enhance light capture due to the plasmonic scattering properties of the nanoparticles. Solar cells with a conformal silver nanoparticle-based electrode layer show short circuit currents that are 46% higher as compared to those exhibit by devices coated with standard indium tin oxide as the electrode. It is anticipated that this methodology will contribute to novel electrode concepts in the next generation solar cells

Development and characterization of EIS structures based on SiO2 micropillars and pores before and after their functionalization with phosphonate films

In this work electrolyte insulator semiconductor (EIS) structures based on lithographically fabricated Si SiO2 micropillars and pores are studied. The samples are characterized by means of impedance spectroscopy (IS) and they are compared to samples with a planar SiO2 layer on a Si substrate in order to determine whether the increase in active surface is directly related to an increase in sensitivity of the device. Our initial results confirm this question in the case of the pillar samples but not for the pore ones, most likely due to some fabrication issues that must be improved. Afterwards the SiO2 surface is functionalized with posphonates and the influence of the modification is studied using IS. Also, the stability and limits of applicability of the functionalized devices is studied. Analysis with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is used to show that the deposition of phosphonates was successful. (C) 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinhei

Enhanced second harmonic generation from InAs nano-wing structures on silicon

We demonstrate morphology-dependent second-harmonic generation (SHG) from InAs V-shaped nanomembranes. We show SHG correlation with the nano-wing shape and size, experimentally quantify the SHG efficiency, and demonstrate a maximum SHG enhancement of about 500 compared to the bulk. Experimental data are supported by rigorous calculations of local electromagnetic field spectra