High performance radial p-n junction solar cell based on silicon nanopillar array with enhanced decoupling mechanism

High performance radial p-n junction solar cells based on silicon nanopillar array were synthesized from p-type silicon substrates and compared with planar cell. These radial p-n junction cells exhibited considerable higher short-circuit current, due to their unique carriers' decoupling mechanism. After the electrode enhancement via light induced plating, a best efficiency of near 12% was achieved for radial p-n junction solar cell, which is better than the planar control cell. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4764942]