Current Photovoltaic Research

Korea Photovoltaic Society (한국태양광발전학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

A Review of Wet Chemical Etching of Glasses in Hydrofluoric Acid based Solution for Thin Film Silicon Solar Cell Application

  • Park, Hyeongsik (College of Information and Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University) ;
  • Cho, Jae Hyun (College of Information and Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University) ;
  • Jung, Jun Hee (Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University) ;
  • Duy, Pham Phong (College of Information and Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University) ;
  • Le, Anh Huy Tuan (College of Information and Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University) ;
  • Yi, Junsin (College of Information and Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University)
  • Received : 2017.06.08
  • Accepted : 2017.08.15
  • Published : 2017.09.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

High efficiency thin film solar cells require an absorber layer with high absorption and low defect, a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) film with high transmittance of over 80% and a high conductivity. Furthermore, light can be captured through the glass substrate and sent to the light absorbing layer to improve the efficiency. In this paper, morphology formation on the surface of glass substrate was investigated by using HF, mainly classified as random etching and periodic etching. We discussed about the etch mechanism, etch rate and hard mask materials, and periodic light trapping structure.

Keywords

References

  1. A. Shah, M. Vanecek, J. Meier, F. Meillaud, J. Guillet, D. Fischer, C. Droz, X. Niquille, S. Fay, E. Vallat-Sauvain, V. T. -Daudrix, and J. Bailat, "Basic Efficiency Limits, Recent Experiments Results and Novel Light-Trapping in a-Si:H, ${\mu}c$-Si:H and Micromorph Tandem Solar Cells", J. Non-Cryst. Solids 639, (2004) 338.
  2. M. Jacoby, "The future of low-cost solar cells", Chem. Eng. News 94 (18), (2016) 30.
  3. O. Isabella, J. Krc, and M. Zeman, "Modulated surface textures for enhanced light trapping in thin-film silicon solar cells", Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, (2010) 10110.
  4. X. Yan, S. Venkataraj, and A. G. Aberle, "Modulated surface texturing of Aluminum-Doped Zinc Oxide (AZ)) Transparent Conductive Oxides for Thin-Film Silicon Solar Cells", Energy Procedia 33, (2013) 157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2013.05.053
  5. W. Zhang, U. W. Paetzold, M. Meier, A. Gordijn, J. Hupkes, and T. Merdzhanova, "Thin-film Silicon Solar Cells on Dry Etched Textured Glass", Energy Procedia 44, (2014) 151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2013.12.022
  6. R. Sahin and I. Kabacelik, "Nanostructuring of ITO thin films through femtosecond laser ablation", Appl. Phys. A 122, (2016) 314. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-016-9847-7
  7. F. M. Ezz-Eldin, T. D. Abd-Elaziz, and N. A. Elalaily, "Effect of dilute HF solutions on chemical, optical, and mechanical properties of soda-lime-silica glass", J. Mater. Sci. 45, (2010) 5937. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-010-4679-x
  8. A. B. Burg, in "Fluorine chemistry", Vol. 1, edited by J. H. Simons (Academic Press, New York, USA, 1950) p. 180.
  9. D.J. Monk, D.S. Soane, and R.T. Howe, Solid-State Sensor and Actuator Workshop, "A diffusion/chemical reaction model for HF etching of LPCVD phosphosilicate glass sacrificial layers", (1992) 5th Technical Digest, IEEE Hilton Head Island, SC, USA.
  10. H. Zhu, M. Holl, T. Ray, S. Bhushan, and D. R Meldrum, "Characterization of deep wet etching of fused silica glass for single cell and optical sensor deposition", J. Micromech. Microeng. 19, (2009) 065013. https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/19/6/065013
  11. H. Nielsen and D. Hackleman, "Some Illumination on the Mechanism of $SiO_2$ Etching in HF solutions", J. Electrochem, Soc.; Solid-State Sci. and Techno. 130, (1983) 708.
  12. A. Mitra and J. D. Rimstidt, "Solubility and dissolution rate of silica in acid fluoride solutions", Geochimica et Cosmochimica Act 73, (2009) 7045. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2009.08.027
  13. C. Iliescu, "Wet etching of glass for MEMS application", Romanian J. Inform. Sci. Techno. 9 (4), (2006) 285.
  14. G. A. C. M. Spierings, "Wet chemical etching of silicate glasses in hydrofluoric acid based solutions", J. Mater. Sci. 28, (1993) 6261. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01352182
  15. G. A. C. M. Spierings and J. Van Dijk, "The dissolution of $Na_2O$-MgO-CaO-$SiO_2$ glass in aqueous HF solutions", J. Mater. Sci. 22, (1987) 1869. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01132419
  16. H. S. Park, S.-H. Nam, M. H. Shin, M. K. Ju, Y.-J. Lee, J.-H Yu, J. H. Jung, S. B. Kim, S. H. Ahn, J.-H. Boo, and J. Yi, "Method for Fabricating Textured High-Haze ZnO:Al Transparent Conduction Oxide Films on Chemically Etched Glass Substrates", J. Nanosci. Nanotechno. 16, (2016) 4886. https://doi.org/10.1166/jnn.2016.12223
  17. K. Tsujino, S. Imai, C. -L. Lee, M. Matsumura, and S. Mizushima, "Local wet etching of glasses by acidification utilizing electrochemistry", J. Micromech. Microeng. 18, (2008) 115023. https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/18/11/115023
  18. C. Iliescu, J. Jing, Francis E.H. Tay, J. Miao, and T. Sun, "Strategies in deep wet etching of Pyrex glass", Surf. Coat. Techno. 198, (2005) 314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2004.10.094
  19. A. J. Muscat, A. G. Thorsness, and G. M. Miranda, "Characterization of residues formed by anhydrous hydrogen fluoride etching of doped oxides", J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 19 (4), (2001) 1854. https://doi.org/10.1116/1.1372907
  20. H. S. Park, J.-S. Jeong, M. H. Shin, S. B. Kim, and J. Yi, "Current status of light trapping in module cover glass for PV module," Current Photovolt Research 4 (3), (2016) 119. https://doi.org/10.21218/CPR.2016.4.3.119
  21. H. Kikuyama, M. Waki, I. Kawanabe, M. Miyashita, T. Yabune, and N. Miki, J. Takano, and T. Ohmi, "Etching Rate and Mechanism of Doped Oxide in Buffered Hydrogen Fluoride Solution", J. Electrochem. Soc. 139 (8), (1992) 2239. https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2221208
  22. J. Liu, N. I. Nemchuk, D. G. Ast, and J. G. Couillard, "Etch rate and surface morphology of plasma etched glass and glass-ceramic substrates", J. Non-Cryst Sol. 342, (2004) 110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2004.07.004
  23. S. J. Bong, S. H. Ahn, Le H. T. Anh, S. B. Kim, H. S. Park, C. H. Shin, J. J. Park, Y. -J. Lee, and J. Yi, "Effective Light Trapping in Thin Film Silicon Solar Cells with Nano- and Microscale Structures on Glass Substrate", J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 16, (2016) 4978. https://doi.org/10.1166/jnn.2016.12179