ABSTRACT
This work focuses on the extraction of the open circuit voltage (VOC) on photovoltaic nanowires by surface photovoltage (SPV) based on Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) measurements. In a first approach, P-I-N radial junction (RJ) silicon nanowire (SiNW) devices were investigated under illumination by KPFM and current-voltage (I-V) analysis. Within 5%, the extracted SPV correlates well with the VOC. In a second approach, local SPV measurements were applied on single isolated radial junction SiNWs pointing out shadowing effects from the AFM tip that can strongly impact the SPV assessment. Several strategies in terms of AFM tip shape and illumination orientation have been put in place to minimize this effect. Local SPV measurements on isolated radial junction SiNWs increase logarithmically with the illumination power and demonstrate a linear behavior with the VOC. The results show notably that contactless measurements of the VOC become feasible at the scale of single photovoltaic SiNW devices.
ABSTRACT
A comprehensive study of the silicon nanowire growth process has been carried out. Silicon nanowires were grown by plasma-assisted-vapor-solid method using tin as a catalyst. We have focused on the evolution of the silicon nanowire density, morphology, and crystallinity. For the first time, the initial growth stage, which determines the nanowire (NW) density and growth direction, has been observed step by step. We provide direct evidence of the merging of Sn catalyst droplets and the formation of Si nanowires during the first 10 s of growth. We found that the density of Sn droplets decreases from ~9000 Sn droplets/µm2 to 2000 droplets/µm2 after just 10 s of growth. Moreover, the long and straight nanowire density decreases from 170/µm2 after 2 min of growth to less than 10/µm2 after 90 min. This strong reduction in nanowire density is accompanied by an evolution of their morphology from cylindrical to conical, then to bend conical, and finally, to a bend inverted conical shape. Moreover, the changes in the crystalline structure of nanowires are from (i) monocrystalline to (ii) monocrystalline core/defective crystalline shell and then to (iii) monocrystalline core/defective crystalline shell/amorphous shell. The evolutions of NW properties have been explained in detail.
ABSTRACT
Radial junction (RJ) architecture has proven beneficial in boosting light harvesting and fast carrier separation in thin film solar cells. While a comprehensive understanding of the detailed absorption distribution and light incoupling mechanism within such a 3D RJ configuration remains largely unexplored. Taking hydrogenated amorphous Si (a-Si:H) RJ solar cells as an example, we here address in both experimental and theoretical manners the impacts of tilting and spacing configuration on the light absorption and external quantum efficiency (EQE) responses. A nice agreement between the calculated and experimental EQE responses indicates that the light harvesting realized within RJ thin film solar cells is quite robust against geometric variations and shadowing effects. Following the concepts of optical fiber injection, we have been able to single out the contribution arising solely from a resonant-mode-incoupling into the RJ cavities against a sidewall scattering incidence scenario. These results provide insightful viewpoints as well as practical guides in developing a new generation of high performance RJ thin film solar cells.
ABSTRACT
Silicon (Si)-based light emitting thin film has been a key ingredient for all-Si-based optoelectronics. Besides material engineering, adopting a novel 3D photonic architecture represents an effective strategy to boost light excitation and extraction from Si-based thin film material. We here explore the use of a nanowires (NW) framework, grown via vapor-liquid-solid mode, to achieve strongly enhanced yellow-green luminescence from SiN(x)O(y)/NW core-shell structure, with an order of magnitude enhancement compared to co-deposited planar references. We found that choosing geometrically-identical but different NW cores (Si or SiO(2)) can lead to profound influence on the overall light emission performance. Combining parametric investigation and theoretical modeling, we have been able to evaluate the key contributions arising from different mechanisms that include near-field enhancement, 3D light trapping and enhanced light extraction. These new findings indicate a new and effective strategy for strong Si-based thin film light emitting source, while being generic enough to be applicable in a wide variety of other thin film materials.
ABSTRACT
The incorporation of metal atoms into silicon nanowires during metal-particle-assisted growth is a critical issue for various nanowire-based applications. Here we have been able to access directly the incorporation and redistribution of metal atoms into silicon nanowires produced by two different processes at growth rates ranging from 3 to 40 nm s(-1), by using laser-assisted atom probe tomography and scanning transmission electron microscopy. We find that the concentration of metal impurities in crystalline silicon nanowires increases with the growth rate and can reach a level of two orders of magnitude higher than that in their equilibrium solubility. Moreover, we demonstrate that the impurities are first incorporated into nanowire volume and then segregate at defects such as the twin planes. A dimer-atom-insertion kinetic model is proposed to account for the impurity incorporation into nanowires.
ABSTRACT
The radial junction (RJ) architecture has proven beneficial for the design of a new generation of high performance thin film photovoltaics. We herein carry out a comprehensive modeling of the light in-coupling, propagation and absorption profile within RJ thin film cells based on an accurate set of material properties extracted from spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements. This has enabled us to understand and evaluate the impact of varying several key parameters on the light harvesting in radially formed thin film solar cells. We found that the resonance mode absorption and antenna-like light in-coupling behavior in the RJ cell cavity can lead to a unique absorption distribution in the absorber that is very different from the situation expected in a planar thin film cell, and that has to be taken into account in the design of high performance RJ thin film solar cells. When compared to the experimental EQE response of real RJ solar cells, this modeling also provides an insightful and powerful tool to resolve the wavelength-dependent contributions arising from individual RJ units and/or from strong light trapping due to the presence of the RJ cell array.
Subject(s)
Silicon/chemistry , Solar Energy , Electric Power Supplies , Equipment Design , Membranes, Artificial , SunlightABSTRACT
Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) grown on low-cost substrates provide an ideal framework for the monolithic fabrication of radial junction photovoltaics. However, the quality of junction formation over a random matrix of SiNWs, fabricated via a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism, has never been assessed in a realistic context. To address this, we probe the current response of individual radial junction solar cells under electron-beam and optical-beam excitations. Excellent current generation from the radial junction units, compared to their planar counterparts, has been recorded, indicating a high junction quality and effective doping in the ultra-thin SiNWs with diameters thinner than 20 nm. Interestingly, we found that the formation of radial junctions by plasma deposition can be quite robust against geometrical disorder and even the crossings of neighboring cell units. These results provide a strong support to the feasibility of building high-quality radial junction solar cells over high-throughput VLS-grown SiNWs on low-cost substrates.
