Strongly enhanced light trapping in a two-dimensional silicon nanowire random fractal array
Abstract We report on the unconventional optical properties exhibited by a two-dimensional array of thin Si nanowires arranged in a random fractal geometry and fabricated using an inexpensive, fast and maskless process compatible with Si technology. The structure allows for a high light-trapping eff...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Publishing Group
2016-01-01
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| Series: | Light: Science & Applications |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/lsa.2016.62 |
| _version_ | 1827966157938753536 |
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| author | Barbara Fazio Pietro Artoni Maria Antonia Iatì Cristiano D'Andrea Maria Josè Lo Faro Salvatore Del Sorbo Stefano Pirotta Pietro Giuseppe Gucciardi Paolo Musumeci Cirino Salvatore Vasi Rosalba Saija Matteo Galli Francesco Priolo Alessia Irrera |
| author_facet | Barbara Fazio Pietro Artoni Maria Antonia Iatì Cristiano D'Andrea Maria Josè Lo Faro Salvatore Del Sorbo Stefano Pirotta Pietro Giuseppe Gucciardi Paolo Musumeci Cirino Salvatore Vasi Rosalba Saija Matteo Galli Francesco Priolo Alessia Irrera |
| author_sort | Barbara Fazio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract We report on the unconventional optical properties exhibited by a two-dimensional array of thin Si nanowires arranged in a random fractal geometry and fabricated using an inexpensive, fast and maskless process compatible with Si technology. The structure allows for a high light-trapping efficiency across the entire visible range, attaining total reflectance values as low as 0.1% when the wavelength in the medium matches the length scale of maximum heterogeneity in the system. We show that the random fractal structure of our nanowire array is responsible for a strong in-plane multiple scattering, which is related to the material refractive index fluctuations and leads to a greatly enhanced Raman scattering and a bright photoluminescence. These strong emissions are correlated on all length scales according to the refractive index fluctuations. The relevance and the perspectives of the reported results are discussed as promising for Si-based photovoltaic and photonic applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:44:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ffc4c1aed31140c590ad2d10be0e5ada |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2047-7538 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:44:31Z |
| publishDate | 2016-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Light: Science & Applications |
| spelling | doaj.art-ffc4c1aed31140c590ad2d10be0e5ada2023-04-16T11:25:40ZengNature Publishing GroupLight: Science & Applications2047-75382016-01-0154e16062e1606210.1038/lsa.2016.62Strongly enhanced light trapping in a two-dimensional silicon nanowire random fractal arrayBarbara Fazio0Pietro Artoni1Maria Antonia Iatì2Cristiano D'Andrea3Maria Josè Lo Faro4Salvatore Del Sorbo5Stefano Pirotta6Pietro Giuseppe Gucciardi7Paolo Musumeci8Cirino Salvatore Vasi9Rosalba Saija10Matteo Galli11Francesco Priolo12Alessia Irrera13CNR-IPCF, Istituto per i Processi Chimico FisiciDipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di CataniaCNR-IPCF, Istituto per i Processi Chimico FisiciCNR-MATIS IMM, Istituto per la Microelettronica e MicrosistemiCNR-IPCF, Istituto per i Processi Chimico FisiciDipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di PaviaDipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di PaviaCNR-IPCF, Istituto per i Processi Chimico FisiciDipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di CataniaCNR-IPCF, Istituto per i Processi Chimico FisiciDipartimento di Scienze Matematiche e Informatiche, Scienze Fisiche e Scienze della Terra, Università di MessinaDipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di PaviaDipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di CataniaCNR-IPCF, Istituto per i Processi Chimico FisiciAbstract We report on the unconventional optical properties exhibited by a two-dimensional array of thin Si nanowires arranged in a random fractal geometry and fabricated using an inexpensive, fast and maskless process compatible with Si technology. The structure allows for a high light-trapping efficiency across the entire visible range, attaining total reflectance values as low as 0.1% when the wavelength in the medium matches the length scale of maximum heterogeneity in the system. We show that the random fractal structure of our nanowire array is responsible for a strong in-plane multiple scattering, which is related to the material refractive index fluctuations and leads to a greatly enhanced Raman scattering and a bright photoluminescence. These strong emissions are correlated on all length scales according to the refractive index fluctuations. The relevance and the perspectives of the reported results are discussed as promising for Si-based photovoltaic and photonic applications.https://doi.org/10.1038/lsa.2016.62light trappingmultiple scatteringRaman enhancementrandom fractalsilicon nanowires |
| spellingShingle | Barbara Fazio Pietro Artoni Maria Antonia Iatì Cristiano D'Andrea Maria Josè Lo Faro Salvatore Del Sorbo Stefano Pirotta Pietro Giuseppe Gucciardi Paolo Musumeci Cirino Salvatore Vasi Rosalba Saija Matteo Galli Francesco Priolo Alessia Irrera Strongly enhanced light trapping in a two-dimensional silicon nanowire random fractal array Light: Science & Applications light trapping multiple scattering Raman enhancement random fractal silicon nanowires |
| title | Strongly enhanced light trapping in a two-dimensional silicon nanowire random fractal array |
| title_full | Strongly enhanced light trapping in a two-dimensional silicon nanowire random fractal array |
| title_fullStr | Strongly enhanced light trapping in a two-dimensional silicon nanowire random fractal array |
| title_full_unstemmed | Strongly enhanced light trapping in a two-dimensional silicon nanowire random fractal array |
| title_short | Strongly enhanced light trapping in a two-dimensional silicon nanowire random fractal array |
| title_sort | strongly enhanced light trapping in a two dimensional silicon nanowire random fractal array |
| topic | light trapping multiple scattering Raman enhancement random fractal silicon nanowires |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/lsa.2016.62 |
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