Premium
Porous silicon in crystalline silicon solar cells: a review and the effect on the internal quantum efficiency
Author(s) -
Stalmans L.,
Poortmans J.,
Bender H.,
Caymax M.,
Said K.,
Vazsonyi E.,
Nijs J.,
Mertens R.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-159x(199807/08)6:4<233::aid-pip207>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - silicon , porous silicon , materials science , quantum dot solar cell , optoelectronics , crystalline silicon , engineering physics , quantum efficiency , monocrystalline silicon , nanocrystalline silicon , silicon solar cell , nanotechnology , physics , amorphous silicon
Crystalline silicon (c‐Si) is the dominant semiconductor material in use for terrestrial photovoltaic cells and a clear tendency towards thinner, active cell structures and simplified processing schemes is observable within contemporary c‐Si photovoltaic research. The potential applications of porous silicon and related benefits are reviewed. Specific attention is given to the different porous silicon formation processes, the use of this porous material as anti‐reflection coating in simplified processing schemes and for simple selective emitter processes and its light trapping and surface passivating capabilities, which are required for advantageous use in thin active cell structures. Our analysis of internal quantum efficiency data obtained on both conventional and thin‐film c‐Si solar cells has been performed with the aim of describing the light diffusing behaviour of porous Si as well as investigating the surface passivating capabilities. An effective entrance angle of 60° is derived, which corresponds to totally diffuse isotropic light, and the importance of a correction for absorption losses in the porous layer is illustrated. Furthermore, photoconductivity decay measurements of freshly etched porous Si on float‐zone p‐type Si indicate a strong bias‐light dependency and a fast degradation of the surface recombination velocity. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.