Structural studies of light-induced anodic aluminum oxide

Author

Zi Ouyang ; Jie Cui ; Yang Li ; Zhongtian Li ; Lennon, Alison

Author_Institution

Sch. of Photovoltaic & Renewable Energy Eng., Univ. of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

fYear

2014

fDate

8-13 June 2014

Firstpage

1234

Lastpage

1237

Abstract

Light-induced anodisation (LIA) is an innovative method to produce oxide films on the surface of crystalline silicon solar cells in an inexpensive electrochemical bath under light illumination. LIA of aluminum to form anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) has been demonstrated to provide excellent passivation and anti-reflection effects.. This article reports on recent studies on the structural properties of AAO layers using ellipsometry, microscope, and a few modelling techniques. The effects of the light intensity and the thickness of the aluminum (Al) precursor on the refractive index, porosity and barrier layer thickness of the AAO films are revealed. The effects of the applied voltage on the AAO growth rate are investigated. All the studies are served to provide a guideline to quick formation of uniform AAO layers for effective passivation and anti-reflection.

Keywords

aluminium compounds; anodisation; electrodeposition; elemental semiconductors; ellipsometry; passivation; porosity; porous materials; refractive index; silicon; solar cells; thin films; transmission electron microscopy; Al₂O₃; Si; aluminum precursor thickness; anodic aluminium oxide growth rate; antireflection effects; applied voltage effects; barrier layer thickness; crystalline silicon solar cells; electrochemical bath; ellipsometry; light illumination; light intensity; light-induced anodic aluminum oxide films; light-induced anodisation; passivation; porosity; refractive index; structural properties; transmission electron microscopy; Aluminum oxide; Ellipsometry; Films; Passivation; Refractive index; Silicon; anodic aluminium oxide; ellipsometry; light induced anodisation; photovoltaic solar cell; silicon;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC), 2014 IEEE 40th

Conference_Location

Denver, CO

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.2014.6925138

Filename

6925138