Femtosecond laser doping of silicon; a novel fabrication method for photovoltaics

mazursilicon是一种理想的太阳能电池材料，因为它的丰富，无毒，和现有的制造基础设施；然而，生产硅太阳能电池的高成本阻碍了它们在发电市场上发挥更大的作用。目前有许多提高太阳能电池效率的建议，也有许多降低太阳能电池生产成本的建议。然而，这些目标往往是相互排斥的。我们提出的研究使用短而强的光脉冲来修饰硅和制造太阳能电池，可以同时实现更低的成本和更高的效率。此外，我们的研究将使使用硅实现这些目标成为可能，硅是一种丰富的材料，我们的社会拥有巨大的工程专业知识（由于它在计算机等电子产品中无处不在）。因此，这项研究将帮助我们的国家从通过化石燃料的碳密集型燃烧来满足我们的能源需求，向可再生和可持续的未来过渡。知识价值：Eric Mazur教授的研究小组开发了一种利用极短脉冲激光构建太阳能电池的新技术。利用这些超短激光脉冲，我们可以赋予硅非凡的光学特性，比如对通过标准硅太阳能电池而不被吸收的红外光有很强的灵敏度。该研究项目的重点是利用该小组在激光和固态材料方面的专业知识来表征这种令人兴奋的新型硅，并确定其作为太阳能电池新材料的前景。在这个项目中，许多原型硅太阳能电池将被制造出来，包括薄膜、多结和纳米颗粒增强的太阳能电池。这些装置将代表一种新型制造技术的成果，这种技术将降低成本，提高硅基太阳能电池的效率。我们的团队在科学发现和创新方面有着良好的记录，在同行评议的期刊上发表了被高度引用的论文，获得了专利，并基于团队发现的技术成立了一家快速发展的初创公司。更广泛的影响：虽然我们的工作将直接推动太阳能电池技术的发展，但拟议的工作将有助于更好地理解在超短激光脉冲的强烈条件下产生的奇异材料。此外，我们的工作将有助于教育和培训未来的多学科的科学家和工程师，通过研究型教育的本科生和研究生。通过我们与当地高中、国家科学基金会赞助的项目的合作，以及我们研究小组中女性的高代表性，我们将扩大代表性不足群体的参与。我们与世界各地的学术和工业伙伴的广泛合作将加强研究的基础设施，正如我们参与nsf资助的多用户设施一样。最后，利用该组织完善的将外联和公共教育与研究相结合的计划，这项工作将广泛传播给公众。

CBET-0754227MazurSilicon is a desirable material for solar cells because of its abundance, non-toxicity, and existing manufacturing infrastructure; however, the high costs of producing silicon solar cells have prevented them from taking a larger role in the electricity generation market. Many proposals exist for achieving higher efficiencies in solar cells, as well as proposals for how to manufacture them less expensively. Oftentimes, however, these goals are mutually exclusive. The research we propose using short, intense pulses of light to modify silicon and fabricate solar cells could achieve both lower costs and higher efficiencies simultaneously. Additionally, our research will make it possible to achieve these goals using silicon, an abundant material for which our society has tremendous engineering expertise (due to its ubiquitous use in electronics such as computers). As such, this research will help our country transition from fueling our energy needs via the carbon intensive combustion of fossil fuels to a renewable and sustainable future. Intellectual Merit: Prof. Eric Mazur's research group has developed a novel technique for constructing solar cells using very short pulses of laser light. Using these ultra-short laser pulses, we can endow silicon with remarkable optical properties, such as strong sensitivity to infrared colors of light that pass through a standard silicon solar cell without being absorbed. The focus of this research project is to leverage the group's expertise with lasers and solid-state materials to characterize this exciting new type of silicon and determine its promise as a new material in solar cells. During this project, a number of prototype silicon solar cells will be fabricated, including thin-film, multijunction, and nanoparticle-enhanced solar cells. These devices will represent the fruit of a novel fabrication technique that will lower costs and raise efficiencies for silicon-based solar cells. Our group has a well-proven record of scientific discovery and innovation, as evidenced by highly cited publications in peer reviewed journals, patents granted, and the launch of a rapidly growing start-up company based on technology discovered by the group.Broader Impact: While our work will directly advance the state of solar cell technology, the proposed work will contribute to a better understanding of the exotic materials that are produced in the intense conditions of ultrashort laser pulses. Additionally, our work will contribute to the education and training of future multidisciplinary scientists and engineers through research-based education of undergraduate and graduate students. Through our work with local high schools, NSF sponsored programs, and the high representation of women in our research group, we will broaden participation of underrepresented groups. Our extensive collaborations with academic and industrial partners around the world will enhance infrastructure for research, as will our participation in NSF-funded multi-user facilities. Finally, using the group's well-established program for integrating outreach and public education with research, this work will be broadly disseminated to the general public.