Electrochemically Induced Self-organized Nanostructures on Silicon for Realization of a Novel Nanoemitter Solar Cell Concept

Skorupska, Katarzyna; Aggour, M.; Kanis, M.; Lublow, Michael; Jungblut, H.; Hans, Joachim J. Lewerenz

doi:10.1149/1.2408985

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…It should be emphasized that this concept allows adjustment of the emitter spacing to the material quality as given by the minority carrier diffusion length and that the small size of the contacts leads to negligible shading of the incoming light. Besides metals, many other materials that can form rectifying junctions with the absorber and that can be conformally deposited either chemically or electrochemically can be employed, thus offering new avenues for low cost efficient solar cells where the absorber is protected by passivating films from the reactive interface in photoelectrochemical solar energy converting devices (22)(23)(24). As a first application, the develoment of an efficient photoelectrochemical solar cell (PECS) that operates in the photovoltaic will be described below.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficient Solar Cell Structure Prepared by Electrodeposition into Oscillation-Induced Nanoporous Silicon Oxide

Lewerenz

Stempel

2008

ECS Trans.

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A silicon-based nanoemitter solar cell is described that operates in the photovoltaic mode of a photoelectrochemical solar cell (PECS). Low temperature scalable processing uses current oscillation-induced nanoporous oxide matrices as templates for noble metal nanocontacts prepared by electrodeposition. Light-to-electricity conversion efficiencies of h > 10% have been obtained if the nanopores in the passivating oxide layer are deepened into the silicon substrate by electro-etching in alkaline solution. In synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy (SRPES) investigations on model surfaces that were H-terminated, oxide formation during Pt deposition is observed while Pt is present in its elemental state. The influence of the oxidic film that is also present underneath the Pt nanoislands on the electronic properties of the cell is discussed and optimization routes for increased efficiencies are outlined.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficient Solar Cell Structure Prepared by Electrodeposition into Oscillation-Induced Nanoporous Silicon Oxide

Lewerenz

Stempel

2008

ECS Trans.

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“…3͒ in high-resolution scanning electron microscopy ͑HRSEM͒. 24 Not all of the pores visible on the oxide sur- face connect to the Si substrate 24 and only those pores that penetrate through the oxide allow etching of the silicon substrate. Figure 3b shows a contact-mode atomic force microscopy ͑AFM͒ image of a Si surface that has been obtained after etching in NaOH which selectively attacks Si and after subsequent oxide removal by an HF etch.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Photoactive Silicon-Based Nanostructure by Self-Organized Electrochemical Processing

Aggour¹,

Skorupska²,

Pereira³

et al. 2007

J. Electrochem. Soc.

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A solar cell design is presented that allows energy conversion in solid-state photovoltaics as well as in photoelectrochemical and photoelectrocatalytic cells. The energy-converting structure uses a Schottky-type, ͑i.e., metallic͒ nanoemitter, prepared by an oscillatory ͑photo͒electrochemical process. Silicon shows ͑photo͒current oscillations in fluoride-containing electrolytes that form an oxide with interspersed nanopores. Spatially selective electrodeposition of Schottky-barrier metals into these pores produces the nanoemitter contacts. The n-Si/SiO 2 /Pt/redox electrolyte structure shows pronounced photoactivity in a photoelectrochemical cell. Light-induced hydrogen evolution is obtained for structures made with p-Si. The energy-band alignments of the structures are discussed and routes for preparation of efficient solid-state devices are outlined.

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Electronic and morphological properties of the electrochemically prepared step bunched silicon (111) surface

Skorupska

Pettenkofer

Sadewasser

et al. 2010

Physica Status Solidi (b)

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8062 42434Topographical and electronic and properties of step bunched Si(111), prepared by electrochemical processing in alkaline solution, are analyzed. Tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TM AFM) analysis shows that one bunched step consists of about 15 atomic steps (each 0.314 nm in height) and that the (111) oriented terraces have widths that range from 150 to 250 nm. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) experiments show a corrugation of the (111) terraces with an rms roughness of 0.5-0.8 nm, correlated with etch pits in alkaline solution. Low energy electron diffraction (LEED) data show a splitting of the (10) and (01) spot from which a minimum terrace width of 4.8 nm have been calculated in good agreement with the TM AFM data. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) experiments show a decrease of the contact potential difference (CPD) at and near the edges of steps indicating a more negatively charged surface area. Synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy (SRPES) on electrochemically and purely chemically prepared step bunched surfaces is compared. From the Si 2p core level shift, and, in particular, from the onset of the valence band emission, an accumulation layer-type shift is observed on the electrochemically prepared sample that is absent for chemical preparation. The move of the Fermi level toward the conduction band minimum of the electrochemically conditioned samples is interpreted by H incorporation and discussed by a doping model that involves the mechanism of hydrogen evolution.

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Electrochemically Induced Self-organized Nanostructures on Silicon for Realization of a Novel Nanoemitter Solar Cell Concept

Cited by 4 publications

References 31 publications

Efficient Solar Cell Structure Prepared by Electrodeposition into Oscillation-Induced Nanoporous Silicon Oxide

Efficient Solar Cell Structure Prepared by Electrodeposition into Oscillation-Induced Nanoporous Silicon Oxide

Photoactive Silicon-Based Nanostructure by Self-Organized Electrochemical Processing

Electronic and morphological properties of the electrochemically prepared step bunched silicon (111) surface

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