In this study, we used the autocloning effect on pyramid structures to develop broad-bandwidth, omnidirectional antireflection structures for silicon solar cells. The angular dependence of reflectance on several pyramid structures was systematically investigated. The deposition of three-layer autocloned films reduced the refractive index gap between air and silicon, resulting in an increase in the amount of transmitted light and a decrease in the total light escaping. The average reflectance decreased dramatically to ca. 2–3% at incident angles from 0 to 60° for both sub-wavelength– and micrometer–scale pyramid structures. The measured reflectance of the autocloned structure was less than 4% in the wavelength range from 400 to 1000 nm for incident angles from 0 to 60°. Therefore, the autocloning technique, combined with optical thin films and optical gradient structures, is a practical and compatible method for the fabrication of broad-bandwidth, omnidirectional antireflection structures on silicon solar cells.

© 2010 OSA

1. J. D. Hylton, A. R. Burgers, and W. C. Sinke, “Alkaline etching for reflectance reduction in multicrystalline silicon solar cells,” J. Electrochem. Soc. 151(6), G408–G427 (2004). [CrossRef]
2. K. Peng, Y. Xu, Y. Wu, Y. Yan, S. T. Lee, and J. Zhu, “Aligned single-crystalline Si nanowire arrays for photovoltaic applications,” Small 1(11), 1062–1067 (2005). [CrossRef]
3. B. M. Kayes, M. A. Filler, M. C. Putnam, M. D. Kelzenberg, N. S. Lewis, and H. A. Atwater, “Growth of vertically aligned Si wire arrays over large areas with Au and Cu catalysts,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 91(10), 103110 (2007). [CrossRef]
4. M. Lu, M. K. Li, L. B. Kong, X. Y. Guo, and H. L. Li, “Synthesis and characterization of well-aligned quantum silicon nanowires arrays,” Composites, Part B 35(2), 179–184 (2004). [CrossRef]
5. J. Zhu, Z. Yu, G. F. Burkhard, C. M. Hsu, S. T. Connor, Y. Xu, Q. Wang, M. McGehee, S. Fan, and Y. Cui, “Optical absorption enhancement in amorphous silicon nanowire and nanocone arrays,” Nano Lett. 9(1), 279–282 (2009). [CrossRef]
6. C. H. Sun, P. Jiang, and B. Jiang, “Broadband moth-eye antireflection coatings on silicon,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 92(6), 061112 (2008). [CrossRef]
7. S. A. Boden and D. M. Bagnall, “Tunable reflection minima of nanostructured antireflective surfaces,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93(13), 133108 (2008). [CrossRef]
8. S. Chhajed, M. F. Schubert, J. K. Kim, and E. F. Schubert, “Nanostructured multilayer graded-index antireflection coating for Si solar cells with broadband and omnidirectional characteristic,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93(25), 251108 (2008). [CrossRef]
9. J. Q. Xi, M. F. Schubert, J. K. Kim, E. F. Schubert, M. Chen, S. Y. Lin, W. Liu, and J. A. Smart, “Optical thin-film materials with low refractive index for broadband elimination of Fresnel reflection,” Nat. Photonics 1, 176–179 (2007).
10. M. L. Kuo, D. J. Poxson, Y. S. Kim, F. W. Mont, J. K. Kim, E. F. Schubert, and S. Y. Lin, “Realization of a near-perfect antireflection coating for silicon solar energy utilization,” Opt. Lett. 33(21), 2527–2529 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. W. H. Southwell, “Gradient-index antireflection coatings,” Opt. Lett. 8(11), 584–586 (1983). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
12. Y. F. Huang, S. Chattopadhyay, Y. J. Jen, C. Y. Peng, T. A. Liu, Y. K. Hsu, C. L. Pan, H. C. Lo, C. H. Hsu, Y. H. Chang, C. S. Lee, K. H. Chen, and L. C. Chen, “Improved broadband and quasi-omnidirectional anti-reflection properties with biomimetic silicon nanostructures,” Nat. Nanotechnol. 2(12), 770–774 (2007). [CrossRef]
13. H. Sai, H. Fujii, K. Arafune, Y. Ohshita, Y. Kanamori, H. Yugami, and M. Yamaguchi, “Wide-angle antireflection effect of subwavelength structures for solar cells,” Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 46(6A6A), 3333–3336 (2007). [CrossRef]
14. C. Y. Huang, H. Min Ku, and S. Chao, “Surface profile control of the autocloned photonic crystal by ion-beam-sputter deposition with radio-frequency-bias etching,” Appl. Opt. 48(1), 69–73 (2009). [CrossRef]
15. T. H. Chang, S. H. Chen, C. C. Lee, and H. L. Chen, “Fabrication of autocloned photonic crystals using electron-beam guns with ion-assisted deposition,” Thin Solid Films 516(6), 1051–1055 (2008). [CrossRef]
16. Y. Ohtera, K. Miura, and T. Kawashima, “Ge/SiO2 photonic crystal multichannel wavelength filters for short wave infrared wavelengths,” Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 46(4A4A), 1511–1515 (2007). [CrossRef]
17. Y. Ohtera, T. Onuki, Y. Inoue, and S. Kawakami, “Multichannel photonic crystal wavelength filter array for near-infrared wavelengths,” J. Lightwave Technol. 25(2), 499–503 (2007). [CrossRef]
18. H. L. Chen, H. F. Lee, W. C. Chao, C. I. Hsieh, F. H. Ko, and T. C. Chu, “Fabrication of autocloned photonic crystals by using high-density-plasma chemical vapor deposition,” J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 22(6), 3359–3362 (2004). [CrossRef]

Appl. Opt.

• C. Y. Huang, H. Min Ku, and S. Chao, “Surface profile control of the autocloned photonic crystal by ion-beam-sputter deposition with radio-frequency-bias etching,” Appl. Opt. 48(1), 69–73 (2009). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• B. M. Kayes, M. A. Filler, M. C. Putnam, M. D. Kelzenberg, N. S. Lewis, and H. A. Atwater, “Growth of vertically aligned Si wire arrays over large areas with Au and Cu catalysts,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 91(10), 103110 (2007). [CrossRef]
• C. H. Sun, P. Jiang, and B. Jiang, “Broadband moth-eye antireflection coatings on silicon,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 92(6), 061112 (2008). [CrossRef]
• S. A. Boden and D. M. Bagnall, “Tunable reflection minima of nanostructured antireflective surfaces,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93(13), 133108 (2008). [CrossRef]
• S. Chhajed, M. F. Schubert, J. K. Kim, and E. F. Schubert, “Nanostructured multilayer graded-index antireflection coating for Si solar cells with broadband and omnidirectional characteristic,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93(25), 251108 (2008). [CrossRef]

Composites, Part B

• M. Lu, M. K. Li, L. B. Kong, X. Y. Guo, and H. L. Li, “Synthesis and characterization of well-aligned quantum silicon nanowires arrays,” Composites, Part B 35(2), 179–184 (2004). [CrossRef]

J. Electrochem. Soc.

• J. D. Hylton, A. R. Burgers, and W. C. Sinke, “Alkaline etching for reflectance reduction in multicrystalline silicon solar cells,” J. Electrochem. Soc. 151(6), G408–G427 (2004). [CrossRef]

J. Lightwave Technol.

• Y. Ohtera, T. Onuki, Y. Inoue, and S. Kawakami, “Multichannel photonic crystal wavelength filter array for near-infrared wavelengths,” J. Lightwave Technol. 25(2), 499–503 (2007). [CrossRef]

J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B

• H. L. Chen, H. F. Lee, W. C. Chao, C. I. Hsieh, F. H. Ko, and T. C. Chu, “Fabrication of autocloned photonic crystals by using high-density-plasma chemical vapor deposition,” J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 22(6), 3359–3362 (2004). [CrossRef]

Jpn. J. Appl. Phys.

• Y. Ohtera, K. Miura, and T. Kawashima, “Ge/SiO2 photonic crystal multichannel wavelength filters for short wave infrared wavelengths,” Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 46(4A4A), 1511–1515 (2007). [CrossRef]
• H. Sai, H. Fujii, K. Arafune, Y. Ohshita, Y. Kanamori, H. Yugami, and M. Yamaguchi, “Wide-angle antireflection effect of subwavelength structures for solar cells,” Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 46(6A6A), 3333–3336 (2007). [CrossRef]

Nano Lett.

• J. Zhu, Z. Yu, G. F. Burkhard, C. M. Hsu, S. T. Connor, Y. Xu, Q. Wang, M. McGehee, S. Fan, and Y. Cui, “Optical absorption enhancement in amorphous silicon nanowire and nanocone arrays,” Nano Lett. 9(1), 279–282 (2009). [CrossRef]

Nat. Nanotechnol.

• Y. F. Huang, S. Chattopadhyay, Y. J. Jen, C. Y. Peng, T. A. Liu, Y. K. Hsu, C. L. Pan, H. C. Lo, C. H. Hsu, Y. H. Chang, C. S. Lee, K. H. Chen, and L. C. Chen, “Improved broadband and quasi-omnidirectional anti-reflection properties with biomimetic silicon nanostructures,” Nat. Nanotechnol. 2(12), 770–774 (2007). [CrossRef]

Nat. Photonics

• J. Q. Xi, M. F. Schubert, J. K. Kim, E. F. Schubert, M. Chen, S. Y. Lin, W. Liu, and J. A. Smart, “Optical thin-film materials with low refractive index for broadband elimination of Fresnel reflection,” Nat. Photonics 1, 176–179 (2007).

Opt. Lett.

• M. L. Kuo, D. J. Poxson, Y. S. Kim, F. W. Mont, J. K. Kim, E. F. Schubert, and S. Y. Lin, “Realization of a near-perfect antireflection coating for silicon solar energy utilization,” Opt. Lett. 33(21), 2527–2529 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• W. H. Southwell, “Gradient-index antireflection coatings,” Opt. Lett. 8(11), 584–586 (1983). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Small

• K. Peng, Y. Xu, Y. Wu, Y. Yan, S. T. Lee, and J. Zhu, “Aligned single-crystalline Si nanowire arrays for photovoltaic applications,” Small 1(11), 1062–1067 (2005). [CrossRef]

Thin Solid Films

• T. H. Chang, S. H. Chen, C. C. Lee, and H. L. Chen, “Fabrication of autocloned photonic crystals using electron-beam guns with ion-assisted deposition,” Thin Solid Films 516(6), 1051–1055 (2008). [CrossRef]

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