Characterization of atomic layer deposited alumina thin films on black silicon textures using helium ion microscopy
Characterization of atomic layer deposited alumina thin films on black silicon textures using helium ion microscopy
Black silicon (b-Si) refers to the nanoscale texturing of a silicon surface to reduce the reflectivity across a broad wavelength range. We fabricate b-Si using a metal assisted chemical etch (MACE) process and then electrically passivate
the surface using atomic layer deposition (ALD) of alumina. A crucial step towards effective passivation is the necessity of uniform and conformal coverage of the nanostructures by the alumina film, which can be achieved by inserting a
diffusion step for the precursors during the ALD process. We demonstrate excellent alumina coverage of b-Si nanostructures through high resolution imaging of texture cross-sections using helium ion microscopy. The images confirm conformal and uniform coverage, even in the narrow trenches between the nanostructures. Moreover, the thickness of the alumina coating is found to be the same for samples with two different nanostructure lengths indicating that precursor supply is sufficient to not limit growth on high surface area structures. Further morphological characterisation is carried out by milling into the nanostructures with a Ne ion beam to reveal the structure in cross-section.
Scheul, Tudor, Emilian
daf1d539-813a-4f66-b2c1-86f7e91fde8c
Khorani, Edris
bbdfbcc3-5dd0-4a73-80ed-7a0bff1d5388
Rahman, Tasmiat
e7432efa-2683-484d-9ec6-2f9c568d30cd
Boden, Stuart
83976b65-e90f-42d1-9a01-fe9cfc571bf8
27 August 2019
Scheul, Tudor, Emilian
daf1d539-813a-4f66-b2c1-86f7e91fde8c
Khorani, Edris
bbdfbcc3-5dd0-4a73-80ed-7a0bff1d5388
Rahman, Tasmiat
e7432efa-2683-484d-9ec6-2f9c568d30cd
Boden, Stuart
83976b65-e90f-42d1-9a01-fe9cfc571bf8
Scheul, Tudor, Emilian, Khorani, Edris, Rahman, Tasmiat and Boden, Stuart
(2019)
Characterization of atomic layer deposited alumina thin films on black silicon textures using helium ion microscopy.
In AIP Conference Proceedings.
vol. 2147,
AIP Publishing.
6 pp
.
(doi:10.1063/1.5123858).
Record type:
Conference or Workshop Item
(Paper)
Abstract
Black silicon (b-Si) refers to the nanoscale texturing of a silicon surface to reduce the reflectivity across a broad wavelength range. We fabricate b-Si using a metal assisted chemical etch (MACE) process and then electrically passivate
the surface using atomic layer deposition (ALD) of alumina. A crucial step towards effective passivation is the necessity of uniform and conformal coverage of the nanostructures by the alumina film, which can be achieved by inserting a
diffusion step for the precursors during the ALD process. We demonstrate excellent alumina coverage of b-Si nanostructures through high resolution imaging of texture cross-sections using helium ion microscopy. The images confirm conformal and uniform coverage, even in the narrow trenches between the nanostructures. Moreover, the thickness of the alumina coating is found to be the same for samples with two different nanostructure lengths indicating that precursor supply is sufficient to not limit growth on high surface area structures. Further morphological characterisation is carried out by milling into the nanostructures with a Ne ion beam to reveal the structure in cross-section.
Text
SiliconPV2019fullafterreviewer- SCHEUL
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 10 July 2019
Published date: 27 August 2019
Venue - Dates:
The 9th International Conference on Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics, , Leuven, Belgium, 2019-04-08 - 2019-04-10
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 434209
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/434209
PURE UUID: e0204108-e843-4a2d-b898-f2fd87591c07
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Date deposited: 16 Sep 2019 16:30
Last modified: 16 Jul 2024 01:46
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