Fabrication of Multiple Si Nanohole Thin Films from Bulk Wafer by Controlling Metal-Assisted Etching Direction

摘要

Crystalline Si photovoltaic modules still have high production cost due to significant consumption of the Si wafer. Reducing the large amount of Si material consumption is thus a critical issue. Here we develop a two-step metal-assisted etching technique for forming vertically-aligned Si nanohole thin films from bulk Si wafers. The formation of Si nanohole thin films includes a series of solution processes: deposition of Ag nanoparticles in an AgNO_3/ HF aqueous solution, formation of Si nanohole arrays at the first-step metal-assisted etching, and side etching of the roots of the nanohole structure at the second-step metal-assisted etching. All the processes can proceed at around room temperature. A Si nanohole thin film with an average hole-size of 100 nm and a thickness of 5μm-20μm was hence formed at the top of the wafer. Afterwards, the Si nanohole thin film was transferred onto alien substrates. The Si nanohole thin film has the crystal quality similar to the bulk Si wafer. The above bulk Si substrate can be reused. With similar processes, other Si nanohole thin films can be formed from the above recycled Si wafer. The hole size and thickness are similar. The Si wafers recycled will significantly reduce the material consumption of Si. Thus, such technique is promising for lowering the cost of Si solar cells.