Sensitiveness of Porous Silicon‐Based Nano‐Energetic Films

Nanoporous silicon (pSi) films on a silicon wafer were loaded with sodium perchlorate and perfluoropolyether (PFPE) oxidizing agents. Sensitiveness to impact, friction and electrostatic discharge (ESD) of the resulting energetic thin films were investigated. It was observed that pSi loaded with perchlorate was sensitive at the lowest limit of detection for the available equipment (<4.9 J impact energy, <5 N friction force, and <45 mJ ESD spark energy). When loaded with PFPE the material was very sensitive to impact (<4.9 J), moderately sensitive to ESD (between 45 and 100 mJ) and insensitive to friction (>360 N). pSi loaded with either perchlorate or PFPE displayed behavior during sensitiveness testing similar to other primary explosive materials.     

Assessing material qualities and efficiency limits of III–V on silicon solar cells using external radiative efficiency

The paper presents a quantitative approach to the investigation and comparison of the material qualities of III–V on silicon (III–V/Si) solar cells by using external radiative efficiencies. We use this analysis to predict the limiting efficiencies and evaluate the criteria of material quality in order to achieve high‐efficiency III–V/Si solar cells. This result yields several implications for the design of high‐efficiency III–V/Si solar cells. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Integration of InGaP/GaAs/Ge triple‐junction solar cells on deeply patterned silicon substrates

We report preliminary results on InGaP/InGaAs/Ge photovoltaic cells for concentrated terrestrial applications, monolithically integrated on engineered Si(001) substrates. Cells deposited on planar Ge/Si(001) epilayers, grown by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition, provide good efficiency and spectral response, despite the small thickness of the Ge epilayers and a threading dislocation density as large as 10⁷/cm². The presence of microcracks generated by the thermal misfit is compensated by a dense collection grid that avoids insulated areas. In order to avoid the excessive shadowing introduced by the use of a dense grid, the crack density needs to be lowered. Here, we show that deep patterning of the Si substrate in blocks can be an option, provided that a continuous Ge layer is formed at the top, and it is suitably planarized before the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The crack density is effectively decreased, despite that the efficiency is also lowered with respect to unpatterned devices. The reasons of this efficiency reduction are discussed, and a strategy for improvement is proposed and explored. Full morphological analysis of the coalesced Ge blocks is reported, and the final devices are tested under concentrated AM1.5D spectrum. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evolution of silicon bulk lifetime during III–V‐on‐Si multijunction solar cell epitaxial growth

The evolution of Si bulk minority carrier lifetime during the heteroepitaxial growth of III–V on Si multijunction solar cell structures via metal‐organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) has been analyzed. In particular, the impact on Si lifetime resulting from the four distinct phases within the overall MOCVD‐based III–V/Si growth process were studied: (1) the Si homoepitaxial emitter/cap layer; (2) GaP heteroepitaxial nucleation; (3) bulk GaP film growth; and (4) thick GaAs_yP_1‐y compositionally graded metamorphic buffer growth. During Phase 1 (Si homoepitaxy), an approximately two order of magnitude reduction in the Si minority carrier lifetime was observed, from about 450 to ≤1 µs. However, following the GaP nucleation (Phase 2) and thicker film (Phase 3) growths, the lifetime was found to increase by about an order of magnitude. The thick GaAs_yP_1‐y graded buffer was then found to provide further recovery back to around the initial starting value. The most likely general mechanism behind the observed lifetime evolution is as follows: lifetime degradation during Si homoepitaxy because of the formation of thermally induced defects within the Si bulk, with subsequent lifetime recovery due to passivation by fast‐diffusing atomic hydrogen coming from precursor pyrolysis, especially the group‐V hydrides (PH₃, AsH₃), during the III–V growth. These results indicate that the MOCVD growth methodology used to create these target III–V/Si solar cell structures has a substantial and dynamic impact on the minority carrier lifetime within the Si substrate. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Material requirements for the adoption of unconventional silicon crystal and wafer growth techniques for high‐efficiency solar cells

Silicon wafers comprise approximately 40% of crystalline silicon module cost and represent an area of great technological innovation potential. Paradoxically, unconventional wafer‐growth techniques have thus far failed to displace multicrystalline and Czochralski silicon, despite four decades of innovation. One of the shortcomings of most unconventional materials has been a persistent carrier lifetime deficit in comparison to established wafer technologies, which limits the device efficiency potential. In this perspective article, we review a defect‐management framework that has proven successful in enabling millisecond lifetimes in kerfless and cast materials. Control of dislocations and slowly diffusing metal point defects during growth, coupled to effective control of fast‐diffusing species during cell processing, is critical to enable high cell efficiencies. To accelerate the pace of novel wafer development, we discuss approaches to rapidly evaluate the device efficiency potential of unconventional wafers from injection‐dependent lifetime measurements. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interdigitated back‐contact heterojunction solar cell concept for liquid phase crystallized thin‐film silicon on glass

We present an interdigitated back‐contact silicon heterojunction system designed for liquid‐phase crystallized thin‐film (~10 µm) silicon on glass. The preparation of the interdigitated emitter (a‐Si:H(p)) and absorber (a‐Si:H(n)) contact layers relies on the etch selectivity of doped amorphous silicon layers in alkaline solutions. The etch rates of a‐Si:H(n) and a‐Si:H(p) in 0.6% NaOH were determined and interdigitated back‐contact silicon heterojunction solar cells with two different metallizations, namely Al and ITO/Ag electrodes, were evaluated regarding electrical and optical properties. An additional random pyramid texture on the back side provides short‐circuit current density (j_SC) of up to 30.3 mA/cm² using the ITO/Ag metallization. The maximum efficiency of 10.5% is mainly limited by a low of fill factor of 57%. However, the high j_SC, as well as V_OC values of 633 mV and pseudo‐fill factors of 77%, underline the high potential of this approach. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SiO_2超微粉体改性及其分散性研究

探讨了硅烷偶联剂(KH570)的水解工艺,对SiO_2超微粉体进行了接枝改性;利用红外光谱(IR)、热失重(TG)等手段对改性粉体进行了表征;采用机械搅拌、超声波方法对粉体进行了分散实验,通过沉淀法和分光光度计法对分散效果进行了分析。结果表明:KH570最佳水解条件如下:KH570:水:乙醇体积比为1:1:4,pH值为4～6,水解时间约为30 min;IR和TG分析显示,KH570与SiO_2粉体发生了表面接枝反应;18 h后的沉降高度、透光率的数据证明,改性后粉体分散性明显改善,机械搅拌效果优于超声波分散。     

电泳沉积-烧结两步法制备C/SiC复合材料

采用电泳沉积法在石墨基体上制备厚度可控的Si涂层,考察了电泳沉积参数(电压、沉积时间、固含量及添加剂量)对涂层沉积量的影响。所制备的Si涂层通过烧结与石墨基体发生在位反应形成SiC涂层。涂层成分的XRD分析表明烧结后生成β-SiC。用SEM观察涂层烧结前后的形貌,烧结后Si渗入基体内部。孔径分布数据表明所形成的SiC涂层导致石墨孔径变小。1200℃的抗氧化实验表明涂层起到了良好的防护作用。实验提供了一种制备C/SiC复合材料的新方法。     

中国建设低成本光伏电站发展趋势看好——超白太阳能玻璃、硅基薄膜电池为建造低成本光伏电站提供了基础

从技术、成本、设备和原材料配套等几个方面详细介绍了硅基薄膜电池低耗能、低成本、零污染、年发电量高等优势,是最具价格竞争力的光伏电站组件。     

硅橡胶热膨胀法制作复合材料加筋面板

本文研究了采用硅橡胶热膨胀法制作复合材料加筋面板的工艺方法,对该法的基本原理进行了简单阐述,探讨了关键参数工艺间隙值的设定方法,并分析了工艺间隙对制件质量的影响,最终制备了优良的复合材料加筋面板结构试验件.