The high transport of electrons and carrier mobility and tunable bandgap exhibited by silicon nanowires (SiNWs) make them an interesting alternative for third generation photovoltaics.  The ability to synthesize SiNWs as an array perpendicular to a conductive substrate surface presents a number of advantages including a configuration that allows the study of carrier mobility across nanowires.  Here, SiNW arrays were prepared using a two stage process. First, a mesoporous (pore diameter < 5 nm) silica thin film was synthesized via electro-assisted self assembly (EASA).   This method exploited the assembly of charged surfactants at an electrode surface upon application of an electric field.  The anode was a conductive substrate such as ITO-coated glass and served as the surface for polycondensation of silica and formation of the desired mesoporous silica template.   Optimum EASA conditions were established with respect to precursor concentrations, temperature, pH, and deposition times.  Template characterization was performed using techniques such as electron microscopy and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction.  The second stage included removing the surfactant from the template and depositing seeds such as gold and tin in the mesopores of the silica template.   The template was then placed in a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition chamber and SiNW growth implemented in a SiH4/H2 flow.   This presentation addresses the synthesis and characterization of SiNW arrays.

Synthesis of silicon nanowire arrays for solar cells

240th National Meeting (2010)

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