Reduction of surface reflectivity in multi-crystalline silicon solar cells by wet nano-texturing

The effect of electroless wet treatment on multi-crystalline silicon solar cells was investigated. We prepared nanostructures on a multi-crystalline silicon surface via wet nano-texturing processes to ensure that less light is reflected off the surface. Nano-texturing can reduce the average reflectance to about 2.5% in the wavelength range of 400-900 nm. Further, we obtained an effective reflectance of 1.9% with Al2O3/SiNx:H coating. The use of our wet nano-texturing process resulted in a reflectance value lower than that obtained with conventional acid texturization. Thus, the nano-texturing of multi-crystalline silicon via the wet chemical process can further increase the efficiency of silicon solar cells. (C) 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim