Formation of Si thin films by electrodeposition in ionic liquids for solar cell applications

Electrochemical processing can potentially be used for the cost-effective and large-scale fabrication of solar cells based on nanostructured Si thin films. Herein, we fabricated Si thin films for solar cell applications by electrodeposition in ionic liquids and performed a systematic investigation of film structure control and doping effects. Notably, relatively smooth and compact films were obtained by the modulation of the rest time during the electrodeposition under light irradiation, and the addition of AlCl3 to the electrolyte allowed the electrodeposition of p-type Si thin films. (C) 2018 The Japan Society of Applied Physics