Preparation of Ag Nanoparticles Arrays for Silicon Solar Cells

Abstract

Ag nanoparticles arrays were fabricated by self-assembly method to accommodate manufacturing process of traditional silicon solar cells. Surface morphologies of films (5-27.5 nm) after annealing treatment with 260 °C and 400 °C were analyzed. The results showed that annealing temperature has important impact on self-assembled nanoparticles arrays. The tuning function of SiNx dielectric film was also analyzed. The absorption peak generates a redshift with the maximum range about 100 nm in the absorption spectrum, and the peak widths become wider with the increase of thickness of SiNx dielectric film for the same particle size distribution of Ag nanoparticles arrays.

Preparation of Self-Assembled Au Nanoparticles Arrays for Silicon Solar Cell Applications

“…Figure 5 shows the corresponding absorption spectrum of the Au nanoparticles arrays after annealing treatment at 500 o C. The peak is near 600 nm wavelength. And for the Ag nanoparticles at the same conditions, the peak is near 550 nm [24]. Au nanoparticles arrays have more potential to tune the absorption peak towards long wavelength than Ag nanoparticles arrays.…”

“…Increases in photocurrent response of 50%-80% or more were observed at or near the plasmon resonance wavelengths of Au nanoparticles deposited on Si pn junction diode [23]. Short-circuit current density increased of 7.3% and power conversion efficiency increases of 1% were observed in InP/GaAsP solar cells with Au nanoparticles arrays [24]. Metal nanostructures are also considered to integrate with amorphous silicon solar cells [5], quantum well solar cells [6], GaAs solar cells [7] and so on [8][9].…”

“…Different methods including wet chemical synthesis [15][16], laser ablation [17][18], electrochemical deposition [19], electron beam lithography [20] and nanosphere lithography [21] have been developed to prepare metal nanostructures. Sol-gel method was used to prepared Au nanoparticles arrays on solar cells usually [23][24]. However, economical and practical fabrication processes have to be developed to be compatible with the industrialization technology of solar cells.…”