Abstract: Preparation of silicon thin films by electrodeposition using an inexpensive raw material potassium fluorosilicate (K2SiF6) has proven to be low cost method compared to the tradition way of manufacturing silicon wafers for solar cell applications. The purpose of this work is to study the effect of electrolysis parameters such as temperature of the melt (LiF-KF-K2SiF6) (450 to 800oC), concentration of potassium fluorosilicate (5 to 30 mol%), and current density (17.5 to 122.5 mAcm-2) on morphology and purity level of silicon films prepared on silver substrate. The current efficiency (CE) of the electrolytic process was determined in three replicate experiments and the average found in the range from 53 to 92%. At 800oC, the films prepared were dense with coherent layer and had good adhesion properties with fewer impurities and inclusion free whiles at low temperatures in the range from 450 to 550 oC the films were found containing only few traces of silicon and several salt inclusions. Despite acceptable quality deposits were obtained at high temperatures the current efficiency was found decreasing as temperature increases with maximum current efficiency obtained at 650oC. At low concentrations (5 to 10 mol%) the deposits prepared had uniform surfaces and contain only few impurities and salt inclusions. Silicon films with columnar structure and fewer impurities were obtained at current densities in the range from 17.5 to 52.6 mAcm-2. The morphology and impurities was determined using SEM with EDS system.
Keywords: Electrodeposition, silicon wafers, electrolysis, morphology, current efficiency current density, columnar, SEM/EDS.
Title: Influence of Different Electrolysis Parameters on Silicon Thin Film Electrodeposition
Author: Lord Famiyeh, Prof. Geir Maartin Haarberg
International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Innovations
ISSN 2348-1218 (print), ISSN 2348-1226 (online)
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