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<p>This study investigates the preparation and surface modification of multi-crystalline silicon (mc-Si) wafers for solar cell applications using directional solidification (DS), precision diamond wire sawing, and controlled wet-chemical etching. High-purity silicon ingots were grown in a 15&#xa0;kg DS furnace, resulting in a defect-minimized multi-crystalline structure. The ingots were then cut into wafers using a diamond wire saw, which minimized material loss and preserved surface integrity. The wafers were chemically etched with HF/HNO<sub>3</sub> and ethanol for different durations to remove saw-induced damage and improve surface texturing. Surface morphology was characterized using optical microscopy and SEM, while optical properties and minority carrier lifetime were evaluated using UV–Vis-NIR spectroscopy and microwave-detected photoconductivity, respectively. Among the etching durations, the sample etched for 120&#xa0;s (Si-120&#xa0;s) was found to be optimal, achieving a low weighted average reflectance of 10.19% and the highest minority carrier lifetime of 15.12 <InlineEquation ID="IEq1"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\mu s\)</EquationSource> <EquationSource Format="MATHML"><math> <mrow> <mi>μ</mi> <mi>s</mi> </mrow> </math></EquationSource> </InlineEquation>, corresponding to a solar cell efficiency of 17.01%. The results demonstrate that precise control of chemical etching significantly improves light trapping and reduces recombination losses, offering a cost-effective and scalable approach for fabricating high-performance solar-grade mc-Si wafers.</p>

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Enhancement of the Efficiency of Silicon Solar Cells through Controlled Chemical Etching

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月13日

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  • T. Thiruvarasu,
  • M. Srinivasan,
  • A. Chandrasekaran,
  • T. Keerthivasan

摘要

This study investigates the preparation and surface modification of multi-crystalline silicon (mc-Si) wafers for solar cell applications using directional solidification (DS), precision diamond wire sawing, and controlled wet-chemical etching. High-purity silicon ingots were grown in a 15 kg DS furnace, resulting in a defect-minimized multi-crystalline structure. The ingots were then cut into wafers using a diamond wire saw, which minimized material loss and preserved surface integrity. The wafers were chemically etched with HF/HNO3 and ethanol for different durations to remove saw-induced damage and improve surface texturing. Surface morphology was characterized using optical microscopy and SEM, while optical properties and minority carrier lifetime were evaluated using UV–Vis-NIR spectroscopy and microwave-detected photoconductivity, respectively. Among the etching durations, the sample etched for 120 s (Si-120 s) was found to be optimal, achieving a low weighted average reflectance of 10.19% and the highest minority carrier lifetime of 15.12 \(\mu s\) μ s , corresponding to a solar cell efficiency of 17.01%. The results demonstrate that precise control of chemical etching significantly improves light trapping and reduces recombination losses, offering a cost-effective and scalable approach for fabricating high-performance solar-grade mc-Si wafers.