Electrodeposition of Photoactive Silicon Films for Low-Cost Solar Cells
نویسندگان
چکیده
Here we demonstrate progress on electrodeposition of photoactive silicon films from an environmentally friendly molten CaCl2 electrolyte, which is the first step of a new route to a practical low-cost silicon solar cell. We report electrodeposition of severalmicron thick silicon films on a graphite substrate in a bath of molten CaCl2 containing SiO2 nanoparticles. The best silicon deposits was obtained at 6 mA/cm2 for 1 hour in molten CaCl2 containing 0.3 M SiO2 nanoparticles, at 850◦C. The main impurities are Al, Mg, Ca, Na. A photoelectrochemical method was demonstrated as a reliable and sensitive measurement for testing the quality of the silicon film. The as-deposited film exhibits 31% of the photocurrent response of a commercial p-type wafer. A comparison of graphite and silver substrates is presented, and the remaining problems are discussed. © 2016 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.0731609jes] All rights reserved.
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