Antireflection properties of erbium oxide films

We have studied the optical transmission spectrum of a surface film of erbium oxide and evaluated the effect of clarification for the surface of a silicon-based photovoltaic converter with an antireflection coating of this material. It is established that erbium oxide films are highly transparent in a broad wavelength range from 250 to 1050 nm and ensure a decrease in the coefficient of reflection of a silicon surface down to 1–4.5%. The antireflection coating of erbium oxide increases the short-circuit photocurrent of the silicon-based photovoltaic converter by more than 38%.