Effect of sputtered silver thin film thickness towards morphological and optical properties of black silicon fabricated by two-step silver-assisted wet chemical etching for solar cells application
Effect of sputtered silver (Ag) thin film thickness towards morphological and optical properties of black silicon (b-Si) fabricated by two-step silver-assisted wet chemical etching for solar cells applications is investigated. The method involves low temperature annealing of crystalline silicon (...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Department of Physics, Kaduna State University, Nigeria
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Physics Access |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://physicsaccess.com/articles/published/PA-JPET-Vol%202-Issue%202_121.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797958859479842816 |
|---|---|
| author | Auwal Abdulkadir Aliyu K Isiyaku Mustapha Isah Dallatu U Abbas Tijjani Ismaila |
| author_facet | Auwal Abdulkadir Aliyu K Isiyaku Mustapha Isah Dallatu U Abbas Tijjani Ismaila |
| author_sort | Auwal Abdulkadir |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Effect of sputtered silver (Ag) thin film thickness towards morphological and optical properties
of black silicon (b-Si) fabricated by two-step silver-assisted wet chemical etching for solar cells
applications is investigated. The method involves low temperature annealing of crystalline
silicon (c-Si) coated with Ag thin films of 10 nm, 15 nm, and 25 nm. This is followed by an
etching in a solution of HF:H2O2:DI H2O (1:5:10 volume ratio) at room temperature for 70 s.
Dense and spherical Ag NPs with an average diameter of 203 ± 17.8 nm and surface coverage
of about 72.5% are achieved on a sample with Ag film thickness of 15 nm prior to the annealing
process. After the etching, the average nanopores’ height of ~420 nm with an average diameter
of ~200 nm owing to denser Ag NPs on the c-Si surface before the etching are obtained. Optical
absorption enhancement due to low weight average reflection (WAR) within wavelength region
of 300–1100 nm is observed on the b-Si wafers. Sample with 15 nm of Ag thin film prior to
annealing, demonstrates WAR of 7.7% compared 40.0% of the reference planar c-Si. The low
WAR is due to the efficient light coupling effect of the b-Si nanopores. The fabricated b-Si
nanopores can be used in b-Si solar cells for enhanced optical absorption and high photocurrent
in the future. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:24:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-238ecb240427420ca4416882fb6ab3a9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2714-500X 2756-3898 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:24:48Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Department of Physics, Kaduna State University, Nigeria |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Physics Access |
| spelling | doaj.art-238ecb240427420ca4416882fb6ab3a92023-01-08T11:07:50ZengDepartment of Physics, Kaduna State University, NigeriaPhysics Access2714-500X2756-38982022-11-0122707710.47514/phyaccess.2022.2.2.012Effect of sputtered silver thin film thickness towards morphological and optical properties of black silicon fabricated by two-step silver-assisted wet chemical etching for solar cells applicationAuwal Abdulkadir0Aliyu K Isiyaku1Mustapha Isah2Dallatu U Abbas3Tijjani Ismaila4Department of Physics, Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, P. M. B. 2218, Katsina, NigeriaDepartment of Physics, Kaduna State University, P.M.B 2339, Kaduna State, NigeriaDepartment of Physics, Kaduna State University, P.M.B 2339, Kaduna State, NigeriaDepartment of Physics, Kaduna State University, P.M.B 2339, Kaduna State, NigeriaDepartment of Applied Physics, School of Applied Sciences, College of Science and Technology, Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna State, NigeriaEffect of sputtered silver (Ag) thin film thickness towards morphological and optical properties of black silicon (b-Si) fabricated by two-step silver-assisted wet chemical etching for solar cells applications is investigated. The method involves low temperature annealing of crystalline silicon (c-Si) coated with Ag thin films of 10 nm, 15 nm, and 25 nm. This is followed by an etching in a solution of HF:H2O2:DI H2O (1:5:10 volume ratio) at room temperature for 70 s. Dense and spherical Ag NPs with an average diameter of 203 ± 17.8 nm and surface coverage of about 72.5% are achieved on a sample with Ag film thickness of 15 nm prior to the annealing process. After the etching, the average nanopores’ height of ~420 nm with an average diameter of ~200 nm owing to denser Ag NPs on the c-Si surface before the etching are obtained. Optical absorption enhancement due to low weight average reflection (WAR) within wavelength region of 300–1100 nm is observed on the b-Si wafers. Sample with 15 nm of Ag thin film prior to annealing, demonstrates WAR of 7.7% compared 40.0% of the reference planar c-Si. The low WAR is due to the efficient light coupling effect of the b-Si nanopores. The fabricated b-Si nanopores can be used in b-Si solar cells for enhanced optical absorption and high photocurrent in the future.https://physicsaccess.com/articles/published/PA-JPET-Vol%202-Issue%202_121.pdfsilver film thicknesstwo-step silver assisted etchingblack siliconabsorption |
| spellingShingle | Auwal Abdulkadir Aliyu K Isiyaku Mustapha Isah Dallatu U Abbas Tijjani Ismaila Effect of sputtered silver thin film thickness towards morphological and optical properties of black silicon fabricated by two-step silver-assisted wet chemical etching for solar cells application Physics Access silver film thickness two-step silver assisted etching black silicon absorption |
| title | Effect of sputtered silver thin film thickness towards morphological and optical properties of black silicon fabricated by two-step silver-assisted wet chemical etching for solar cells application |
| title_full | Effect of sputtered silver thin film thickness towards morphological and optical properties of black silicon fabricated by two-step silver-assisted wet chemical etching for solar cells application |
| title_fullStr | Effect of sputtered silver thin film thickness towards morphological and optical properties of black silicon fabricated by two-step silver-assisted wet chemical etching for solar cells application |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of sputtered silver thin film thickness towards morphological and optical properties of black silicon fabricated by two-step silver-assisted wet chemical etching for solar cells application |
| title_short | Effect of sputtered silver thin film thickness towards morphological and optical properties of black silicon fabricated by two-step silver-assisted wet chemical etching for solar cells application |
| title_sort | effect of sputtered silver thin film thickness towards morphological and optical properties of black silicon fabricated by two step silver assisted wet chemical etching for solar cells application |
| topic | silver film thickness two-step silver assisted etching black silicon absorption |
| url | https://physicsaccess.com/articles/published/PA-JPET-Vol%202-Issue%202_121.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT auwalabdulkadir effectofsputteredsilverthinfilmthicknesstowardsmorphologicalandopticalpropertiesofblacksiliconfabricatedbytwostepsilverassistedwetchemicaletchingforsolarcellsapplication AT aliyukisiyaku effectofsputteredsilverthinfilmthicknesstowardsmorphologicalandopticalpropertiesofblacksiliconfabricatedbytwostepsilverassistedwetchemicaletchingforsolarcellsapplication AT mustaphaisah effectofsputteredsilverthinfilmthicknesstowardsmorphologicalandopticalpropertiesofblacksiliconfabricatedbytwostepsilverassistedwetchemicaletchingforsolarcellsapplication AT dallatuuabbas effectofsputteredsilverthinfilmthicknesstowardsmorphologicalandopticalpropertiesofblacksiliconfabricatedbytwostepsilverassistedwetchemicaletchingforsolarcellsapplication AT tijjaniismaila effectofsputteredsilverthinfilmthicknesstowardsmorphologicalandopticalpropertiesofblacksiliconfabricatedbytwostepsilverassistedwetchemicaletchingforsolarcellsapplication |