Nano Express
Ultra-low reflectance, high absorption microcrystalline silicon nanostalagmite
Author affiliations
1 Graduate Institute of Optoelectronic Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, 40227, Republic of China
2 Photovoltaic Technology Division, Green Energy and Environment Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Hsinchu, Taiwan, 31040, Republic of China
Citation and License
Nanoscale Research Letters 2012, 7:171 doi:10.1186/1556-276X-7-171
Published: 6 March 2012Abstract
In this work, microcrystalline silicon nanostalagmite [μc-SiNS] arrays have been successfully fabricated on glass by catalytic etching process through a template. The template, polystyrene [PS] nanospheres, with diameter and density of 30 to approximately 50 nm and 1010/cm2, respectively, was obtained by a modified nanophase separation of PS-containing block copolymer. The length of μc-SiNS could be controlled by the duration of etching time. The μc-SiNS exhibits ultra-low reflection approximately 0.3% and absorption around 99% over 300 to 800 nm in wavelength. Reflection is also suppressed for a wide range of angles of incidence in wide range of wavelength. This indicates the extensive light-trapping effect by the μc-SiNS and could possibly harvest a large amount of solar energy at infrared regime.
