Fabrication of Si nanoroot/a-Si composite films using physical vapor deposited Al nanodots

Author

Young, Matthew G. ; Newton, Ben ; Benamara, M. ; Abu-Safe, Husam ; Shui-Qing Yu ; Naseem, Hameed

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng., Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA

fYear

2013

fDate

16-21 June 2013

Abstract

We provide an overview of research performed in obtaining nanostructures using Al and Si together. Such nanostructures will provide methods to fabricate thin film solar cells with enhanced light trapping properties. MBE, PECVD, and E-beam evaporation were used to create Al nanostructures. We show Al nanodots can be created in-situ below the Si/Al eutectic temperature. A novel composite film of Si crystallites in an amorphous matrix is fabricated and shown.

Keywords

aluminium; amorphous state; crystallites; electron beam deposition; elemental semiconductors; molecular beam epitaxial growth; nanocomposites; plasma CVD; silicon; vacuum deposition; E-beam evaporation; MBE; PECVD; Si-Al; aluminium nanodots; amorphous matrix; crystallites; light trapping properties; nanostructures; physical vapor deposition; silicon composite films; silicon nanoroot films; thin film solar cells; Annealing; Glass; Nanostructures; Silicon; Substrates; Surface treatment; Wires; aluminum; amorphous materials; nanostructures; photovoltaic cells; silicon;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 2013 IEEE 39th

Conference_Location

Tampa, FL

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.2013.6744164

Filename

6744164