Metal-catalyzed electroless etching and nanoimprinting silicon nanowire-based solar cells: Silicon nanowire defect reduction and efficiency enhancement by two-step H2 annealing

The effects of H2 annealing on material properties including defects of silicon nanowire (SiNW) surface and Si film layer for solar cell application were investigated. Single-junction solar cells consisting of n-SiNWs and chemical vapor deposition grown p-Si matrix were demonstrated using two-step H2 annealing. n-SiNWs formed by two different methods of metal-catalyzed electroless etching and nanoimprinting followed by the Bosch process were compared. Two-step H2 annealing at 900 °C for 10 min after both n-SiNW formations and subsequent p-Si matrix deposition effectively improved SiNW surface and p-Si crystallinity, resulting in higher solar cell efficiency.