Si nanocone arrays are formed on Si(100) by Ar(+) ion sputtering combined with metal ion co-deposition. The aspect ratio of Si cone is found to increases steadily with increasing sample temperature, but decreases slowly with increasing ion dose. Furthermore, the height and base diameter of Si cone increase monotonously with increasing dose at a constant temperature. The absorptivity increases in general with increasing aspect ratio and height. A close to unity and all-solar-spectrum absorption by the nanostructured Si is finally achieved, with the absorbance for λ = 350 to 1100 nm being higher than 96%, and that for λ = 1100 to 2000 nm higher than 92%. Photocurrents for different Si samples are also investigated.

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We report a Si nanocrystal thin film consisting of free-standing Si nanocrystals, which can emit white light and show positive optical gains for its red, green and blue (RGB) components under ultraviolet excitation. Si nanocrystals with ϕ = 2.31 ± 0.35 nm were prepared by chemical etching of Si powder, followed by filtering. After being mixed with SiO2 sol-gel and thermally annealed, a broadband photoluminescence (PL) from the thin film was observed. The RGB ratio of the PL can be tuned by changing the annealing temperature or atmosphere, which is 1.00/3.26/4.59 for the pure white light emission. The origins of the PL components could be due to differences in oxygen-passivation degree for Si nanocrystals. The results may find applications in white-light Si lasing and Si lighting.

A p-n junction was made on p-type Si〈100〉 wafer (15 × 15 × 0.2 mm(3) in size) via phosphorous diffusion at 900 °C. Porous Si (PSi) with ultralow reflectivity (<0.3% in the ultraviolet and visible regimes) was achieved by etching a Ag-coated n(+) Si emitter in a solution of HF, H2O2 and H2O. The PSi was found to mainly consist of Si nanocrystallites with bandgap widths larger than that of bulk Si. Compared to other micro- or nanostructured Si-based crystalline-Si solar cells found in the literature, this PSi one possessed the feature of a graded band gap, which helped to suppress the surface recombination. In addition, the preparation method was readily applicable on large-scale-sized Si wafers. Also, the PSi acted as a down-shifter that absorbed the ultraviolet/violet light to which the Si solar cell responded poorly, and emitted a red one to which the cell responded well. Front and rear surface passivations were conducted by using SiO2 and Al2O3, respectively, to suppress the surface recombination and to facilitate the charge transfer. Indium-tin-oxide was used as the front electrode that was in good contact with the PSi, and Al was used as the rear one. For such a PSi-emitter crystalline-Si solar cell, enhancements of the photovoltaic responses from the ultraviolet to near-infrared regimes were observed; the open-circuit voltage was 606.8 mV, the short-circuit current density was 40.13 mA cm(-2), the fill factor was 0.779 and the conversion efficiency was 18.97%.

We report a field-effect approach to enhance the electroluminescence (EL) from a model Si nanocrystal light-emitting device (Si-NC LED). The field effects are established within the carrier injection regions of the LEDs via introducing an i-type Si layer on the top of active layer and an Al2O3 layer between the active layer and the Si substrate. The fields are consistent in polarity with the forwardly biased electric field within the LEDs. One order of magnitude increases in the EL intensity from Si-NC LED are readily achieved after introducing the field effects.