Bismuth-Catalyzed and Doped Silicon Nanowires for One-Pump-Down Fabrication of Radial Junction Solar Cells

• Published in: Nano letters 2012-08, Vol.12 (8), p.4153-4158
• Main Authors: Yu, Linwei, Fortuna, Franck, O’Donnell, Benedict, Jeon, Taewoo, Foldyna, Martin, Picardi, Gennaro, Roca i Cabarrocas, Pere
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Catalysts; Catalytic methods; Condensed Matter; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Doping; Electronics; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Materials; Materials Science; Methods of nanofabrication; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanostructure; Nanowires; Natural energy; Open circuit voltage; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic conversion; Physics; Quantum wires; Silicon; Solar cells; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Trapping
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/nl3017187

Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are becoming a popular choice to develop a new generation of radial junction solar cells. We here explore a bismuth- (Bi-) catalyzed growth and doping of SiNWs, via vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mode, to fabricate amorphous Si radial n–i–p junction solar cells in a one-pump-down and low-temperature process in a single chamber plasma deposition system. We provide the first evidence that catalyst doping in the SiNW cores, caused by incorporating Bi catalyst atoms as n-type dopant, can be utilized to fabricate radial junction solar cells, with a record open circuit voltage of V oc = 0.76 V and an enhanced light trapping effect that boosts the short circuit current to J sc = 11.23 mA/cm2. More importantly, this bi-catalyzed SiNW growth and doping strategy exempts the use of extremely toxic phosphine gas, leading to significant procedure simplification and cost reduction for building radial junction thin film solar cells.