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Microscopy Analysis of Pyramid Formation Evolution with Ultra-Low Concentrated Na2CO3/NaHCO3 Solution on (100) Si for Solar Cell Application

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 February 2013

Amada Montesdeoca-Santana ,
Alejandro González Orive ,
Alberto Hernández Creus ,
Benjamín González-Díaz ,
Dietmar Borchert  and
Ricardo Guerrero-Lemus
Amada Montesdeoca-Santana
Affiliation:
Departamento de Física Básica, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, Laboratory- and Servicecenter Gelsenkirchen, Auf der Reihe 2, 45884 Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Alejandro González Orive
Affiliation:
Departamento de Química Física, Instituto de Materiales y Nanotecnología, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
Alberto Hernández Creus
Affiliation:
Departamento de Química Física, Instituto de Materiales y Nanotecnología, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
Benjamín González-Díaz
Affiliation:
Departamento de Física Básica, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
Dietmar Borchert
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, Laboratory- and Servicecenter Gelsenkirchen, Auf der Reihe 2, 45884 Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Ricardo Guerrero-Lemus*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Física Básica, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: rglemus@ull.es
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Abstract

An analysis of the nucleation mechanism of pyramids formed in (100) silicon in Na2CO3/NaHCO3 solution has been carried out. This texturization process of silicon by means of Na2CO3/NaHCO3 solutions is of special interest because it can be applied to the silicon solar cell industry to texture solar cell surfaces to decrease the front reflection and enhance light trapping in the cells. For this purpose, two microscopy techniques—scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy—have been used to study the different stages of pyramidal nucleation and formation. The different aspects and factors involved in the texturization process require different analysis conditions and microscopy resolution. Tracing the transformation of determined surface areas and structures has been achieved, contributing clarification of the mechanism of pyramid nucleation in Na2CO3/NaHCO3 solutions.

Keywords

crystalline siliconalkaline texturizationAFMSEMsodium carbonatesolar cells
Type
Materials Applications
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 19 , Issue 2 , April 2013 , pp. 285 - 292
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2013

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