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Novel technique for large area n-type black silicon solar cell by formation of silicon nanograss after diffusion process

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Abstract

Metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) method is the most convenient and cost-effective nanowire fabrication method compared to other nanowire fabrication processes although a major problem arises in silicon nanowire, formed by MACE solution during n-type c-Si solar cell fabrication steps. High-temperature boron diffusion in conventional open tube furnace breaks down the nanowire resulting in a non-uniform surface pattern which is responsible to decrease overall conversion efficiency of the finished cell. In this work, this drawback is resolved by considering silicon nanowire formation after diffusion step. A slow etchant is considered for nanostructure on diffused silicon wafer to protect the diffused junction. The generated nanowire size is very less and has forage-like structure, and so termed as nanograss. Surface morphology and the characterization of the silicon nanograss structure after diffusion process on large area (156 mm × 156 mm) c-Si solar cells using MACE method have been investigated elaborately. Further, the complete solar cell has been fabricated with an efficiency of 17.20%.

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Acknowledgement

The authors are grateful to the SERI DST, Govt. of India for financial support to carry out solar cell-related research. The authors deeply acknowledge Meghnad Saha Institute of Technology, TIG for providing the infrastructural support to carry out this research. The authors are also thankful to CEGESS, IIEST for infrastructural support. The authors are deeply grateful to Mr. Arindam Ray (Research fellow at JNCASR) for language correction support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Advanced Research in Renewable Energy and Sensor Technology, MSIT, Kolkata, 700150, India

    Soma Ray & Utpal Gangopadhyay

  2. Centre of Excellence for Green Energy and Sensor Systems, IIEST, Shibpur, Howrah, 711103, India

    Soma Ray & Anup Mondal

  3. National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education, IIT Bombay, Mumbai, India

    Suchismita Mitra & Hemanta Ghosh

  4. Departments of Chemistry, IIEST, Shibpur, Howrah, 711103, West Bengal, India

    Anup Mondal

  5. National Institute of Solar Energy, Gwal Pahari, Gurugram, 122003, Haryana, India

    Chandan Banerjee

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  1. Soma Ray
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  2. Suchismita Mitra
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  3. Hemanta Ghosh
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  4. Anup Mondal
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  6. Utpal Gangopadhyay
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Correspondence to Chandan Banerjee.

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Ray, S., Mitra, S., Ghosh, H. et al. Novel technique for large area n-type black silicon solar cell by formation of silicon nanograss after diffusion process. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 32, 2590–2600 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-020-05027-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-020-05027-6

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