Knowledge Transfer Involving HQP

Advanced Thin Silicon High Efficiency Device Integrations

Journal Publications

  • Hoofar Daneshvar, Rajiv Prinja and Nazir P. Kherani, “Thermophotovoltaics: Fundamentals, Challenges and Prospects”, Applied Energy 159 (2015) 560–575.
  • Zahidur R. Chowdhury and Nazir P. Kherani, “Light-induced degradation of native silicon oxide-silicon nitride bilayer passivated silicon surfaces”, Applied Physics Letters 107, 151602 (2015); doi: 10.1063/1.493• 3037.
  • Chowdhury, Z.R. and Kherani, N.P., “Laterally inherently thin amorphous-crystalline silicon heterojunction photovoltaic cell”, Applied Physics Letters 105, 263902 (2014).
  • Chowdhury, Z. R. and Kherani, N. P., Back amorphous-crystalline silicon heterojunction (BACH) photovoltaic device with facile-grown oxide – PECVD SiNx passivation. Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl.. doi: 10.1002/pip.2496 (2014).
  • Joel Y.Y. Loh, Daniel P. Puzzo, Paul G. O’Brien, Geoffrey A. Ozin, Nazir P. Kherani, “Enhancing photovoltaics with broadband high-transparency glass using porosity-tuned multilayer silica nanoparticle anti-reflective coatings”, RSC Advances 4, 31188-31195 (2014).
  • Kitty Kumar, Ali Khalatpour, Jun Nogami, Nazir P. Kherani, “Length Scale Dependence of Periodic Textures for Photoabsorption Enhancement in Ultra-thin Silicon Foils and Thick Wafers” (submitted for publication 2014).
  • “Light induced changes in the amorphous—crystalline silicon heterointerface”, Pratish Mahtani, Renaud Varache, Bastien Jovet, Christophe Longeaud,Jean-Paul Kleider, and Nazir P. Kherani, Journal of Applied Physics 114, 124503 (2013).
  • “See-Through Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Photonic Reflectorsfor Tandem and Building Integrated Photovoltaics”, Leo-Philipp Heiniger, Paul G. O’Brien, Navid Soheilnia, Yang Yang, Nazir P. Kherani , Michael Grätzel , Geoffrey A. Ozin , and Nicolas Tétreault, Advanced Materials DOI: 10.1002/adma.201302113 (2013).
  • “Front and rear diffraction grating patterns for thin film mono-crystalline silicon solar cells”, Xianqin Meng, Emmanuel Drouard, Alain Fave, Rafael Kleiman and Christian Seassal, Proceedings of the 28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference (EU PVSEC), Paris, France, September 30, 2013.
  • “Optical Characterization of Selectively Transparent and Conducting Photonic Crystals (STCPCs) for Use in Thin Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics”, Andrew Flood, Kevin Boyd, Zahid Chowdhury, Paul G. O’Brien, Rafael Kleiman, and Nazir P. Kherani, IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC) 39, Tampa, FL, June 2013.
  • “Novel fabrication of wavelength-scale light trapping structures on a novel 10 micron thick c-Si solar cell”, Kevin Boyd, Kitty Kumar, Erik Janssen, Zahid Chowdhury, Nazir Kherani, and Rafael Kleiman, IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC) 39, Tampa, FL, June 2013.
  • Dmitri S. Stepanov, Nazir P. Kherani, Optimal hydrogenated amorphous silicon/silicon nitride bilayer passivation of n-type crystalline silicon using response surface methodology, Applied Physics Letters 101 171602 (2012).
  • Zahidur R. Chowdhury, Kevin Cho, and Nazir P. Kherani, “High-Quality Surface Passivation of Silicon Using Native Oxide and Silicon Nitride Layers”, Applied Physics Letters 101 021601 (2012).
  • Paul O’Brien; Yang Yang; Alongkarn Chutinan; Pratish Mahtani; Keith Leong; Daniel Puzzo; Leonardo Bonifacio; Chen-Wei Lin; Geoffrey Ozin; Nazir Kherani, “Selectively Transparent and Conducting Photonic Crystal Solar Spectrum Splitters Made of Alternating Sputtered Indium-Tin Oxide and Spin-Coated Silica Nanoparticle Layers for Enhanced Photovoltaics”, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2012.03.005 (2012).
  • Barzin Bahardoust, Alongkarn Chutinan, Keith Leong, Adel B. Gougam, Davit Yeghikyan,Tome Kosteski, Nazir P. Kherani, and Stefan Zukotynski,“Passivation study of the amorphous–crystalline silicon interface formed using DC saddle-field glow discharge”, Phys. Status Solidi A 207.(3) (2010) 539–543.
  • P. G. O’Brien, A. Chutinan, K. Leong, N. P. Kherani, G. A. Ozin, and S. Zukotynski, “Photonic crystal intermediate reflectors for micromorph solar cells: a comparative study”, Optics Express 18(5) (2010) 4478-4490.

Conference Proceedings

  • Novel Process Flow and Cell Architecture for 10 μm Thick Membrane Single-crystalline Silicon Solar Cells, Erik Janssen and Rafael Kleiman, Proceedings of the 38th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), pp 001205-00120

Journal Publications (Accepted)

  • “Nanoporous transparent and conducting films and photonic crystals”, P. G. O’Brien, Y. Yang, A. Flood, H. Hsu, D. P. Puzzo, G. A. Ozin, N. P. Kherani, Optical Materials (accepted Sept 2013).

Journal Publications (In Preparation)

  • Erik Janssen, Joshua Rideout, Martin Gerber and Rafael Kleiman, “Silicon membrane approach for high-efficiency ultra-thin single-crystalline silicon solar cells with advanced light-trapping features”, in preparation.

Manuscripts (In Preparation)

  • Currently a major journal article is being prepared which integrates thin silicon membranes and light trapping photonic crystal constructs based on an amorphous-crystalline silicon heterojunction platform. This report constitutes the first such integration which points toward the potential of high efficiency thin silicon photovoltaics.

Presentations (Oral)

  • Andrew G. Flood1, Kevin Boyd2, Brett Ramautarsingh3, Paul G. O’Brien3, Rafael Kleiman2, Nazir P. Kherani1,3, “Selectively Transparent and Conductive Photonic Crystals (STCPCs) for Flexible Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)”, 6th National Scientific Conference Photovoltaics Canada, Toronto, ON, May 13-14, 2015.
  • Brett Ramautarsingh1, Andrew Flood2, Paul O’Brien1, and Nazir P. Kherani, “Integration of Selectively Transparent and Conducting Photonic Crystals in Tandem Silicon Photovoltaics”, 6th National Scientific Conference Photovoltaics Canada, Toronto, ON, May 13-14, 2015.
  • David Barchet1, Heidi Potts1, Mitchell Brocklebank2, Zahidur R. Chowdhury1, Lyudmila Goncharova2 and Nazir P. Kherani, “Low Temperature Ozone Native Oxide-Silicon Nitride Bilayer Passivation of Silicon”, 6th National Scientific Conference Photovoltaics Canada, Toronto, ON, May 13-14, 2015.
  • Joel Y. Y. Loh1 , Daniel P. Puzzo2, Paul G. O’Brien1, Geoffrey A. Ozin2 and Nazir P. Kherani, “Broadband high-transparency glass using porosity-tuned multilayer silica nanoparticle anti-reflective coatings”, 6th National Scientific Conference Photovoltaics Canada, Toronto, ON, May 13-14, 201
  • Nazir P. Kherani, Zahidur Chowdhury, Hooman Nabovati, Heidi Potts, David Barchet, Rajiv Prinja, Steven Nesmith, “Potential Implications of Low-Temperature Native Oxide-based Passivation of the Silicon Surface”, NSERC PIN AGM, Toronto, ON, May 12, 2015.
  • Zahidur R. Chowdhury1‡, and Nazir P. Kherani, “Laterally Inherently Thin (LIT) Silicon Heterojunction PV Cell Concept With Reduced Parasitic Absorption”, 6th National Scientific Conference Photovoltaics Canada, Toronto, ON, May 13-14, 2015.
  • Pratish Mahtani, Bastien Jovet, Nazir P. Kherani, “Metastability of the Amorphous – Crystalline Silicon Heterointerface”, Eurpoean Photovoltaics Solar Energy Conference, Amsterdam, September 2014.
  • Zahidur R. Chowdhury1‡, and Nazir P. Kherani, “Back Amorphous-Crystalline Silicon Heterojunction Photovoltaic Device: A Parametric Study“, 5th National Scientific Conference Photovoltaics Canada, Montreal, QC, May 14-16, 2014.
  • “Grid-Based Triode RF PECVD: A Pathway to Ultra High Quality Passivation and High Efficiency Silicon Heterojunction Photovoltaics”, Pratish Mahtani, Keith R. Leong, Bastien Jovet, Davit Yeghikyan, and Nazir P. Kherani”, African PVSEC, South Africa (March 2014).
  • “Facile Grown Oxide Based Passivation for Silicon Heterojunction PV Cells”, Z. R. Chowdhury, and N. P. Kherani, 25th International Conference on Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Semiconductors, Toronto, Canada, August 2013.
  • “Ultra High Quality Amorphous-Crystalline Silicon Heterostructures Prepared by Grid-Biased Triode RF PECVD”, Pratish Mahtani, Keith R. Leong, Bastien Jovet, Davit Yeghikyan, and Nazir P. Kherani, 25th International Conference on Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Semiconductors, Toronto, Canada, August 2013.
  • “Double diffraction gratings for light trapping in ultra-thin film crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells”, Xianqin Meng, Emmanuel Drouard, Alain Fave, Christian Seassal and Rafael Kleiman, 4th Canadian Photovoltaics Conference, Hamilton, ON, May 8-10, 2013.
  • “Light trapping in crystalline silicon solar cells of micron order thickness”, Kevin Boyd, Kitty Kumar, Zahidur R Chowdury, Nazir Kherani and Rafael Kleiman, 4th Canadian Photovoltaics Conference, Hamilton, ON, May 8-10, 2013.
  • “Selectively Transparent and Conductive Photonic Crystals (STCPCs) for Next Generation Thin-Film Photovoltaics”, Paul G. O’Brien, Yang Yang, Andrew G. Flood, Brett Ramautarsingh, Geoff. A. Ozin, Nazir P. Kherani, 4th Canadian Photovoltaics Conference, Hamilton, ON, May 8-10, 2013.
  • “Ultra-low surface recombination velocity in silicon heterostructure prepared by grid-biased remote plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition”, Pratish Mahtani, Keith R. Leong, Bastien Jovet, Davit Yeghikyan, and Nazir P. Kherani, 4th Canadian Photovoltaics Conference, Hamilton, ON, May 8-10, 2013.
  • Zahidur R. Chowdhury, Dmitri Stepanov, Davit Yeghikyan and Nazir P. Kherani, “Excellent Low Temperature Passivation Scheme With Reduced Optical Absorption for Back Amorphous-Crystalline Silicon Heterojunction (BACH) Photovoltaic Device”, 38th IEEE PVSC (2012).
  • K. Kumar, K.C. Lee, J. Nogami, P.R. Herman, N.P. Kherani, “Ultrafast Laser Direct Hard-Mask Writing For High Performance Inverted-Pyramidal Texturing of Silicon”, 38th IEEE PVSC (2012).
  • Dmitri S. Stepanov, Zahidur R. Chowdhury and Nazir P. Kherani, “Lowest surface recombination velocity on n-type crystalline silicon using PECVD a-Si:H/SiNx bi-layer passivation”, Proc. SPIE 8007, 800720 (2011); doi:10.1117/12.905624.

Presentations (Poster)

  • David Barchet1, Heidi Potts1, Mitchell Brocklebank2, Zahidur R. Chowdhury1, Lyudmila Goncharova2 and Nazir P. Kherani, “Low-Temperature Ozone-Ambient Grown Native Oxide Passivation of Crystalline Silicon”, IEEE Photovoltaics Specialist Conference, June 2015.
  • Andrew G. Flood1, Kevin Boyd2, Rafael Kleiman2, Nazir P. Kherani, Using Evolutionary Algorithms in the Optical Design of Bifacial Thin c-Si Photovoltaics”, 5th National Scientific Conference Photovoltaics Canada, Montreal, QC, May 14-16, 2014.
  • David Barchet1, Heidi Potts1, and Zahidur R. Chowdhury1, Nazir P. Kherani, “Low-Temperature Ozone Native Oxide Based Surface Passivation of Silicon”, 5th National Scientific Conference Photovoltaics Canada, Montreal, QC, May 14-16, 2014.
  • “Optimization of Optical Parameters and Materials for Bifacial Cells using an Evolutionary Algorithm”, Andrew Flood, Kevin Boyd, Rafael Kleiman, and Nazir P. Kherani, 28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference (EU PVSEC), Paris, France, September 30, 2013.
  • “Front and rear diffraction grating patterns for thin film mono-crystalline silicon solar cells”, Xianqin Meng, Emmanuel Drouard, Alain Fave, Rafael Kleiman and Christian Seassal, 28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference (EU PVSEC), Paris, France, September 30, 2013.
  • “Optical Characterization of Selectively Transparent and Conducting Photonic Crystals (STCPCs) for Use in Thin Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics”, Andrew Flood, Kevin Boyd, Zahid Chowdhury, Paul G. O’Brien, Rafael Kleiman, and Nazir P. Kherani, IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), Tampa, FL, June 2013.
  • “Novel fabrication of wavelength-scale light trapping structures on a novel 10 micron thick c-Si solar cell”, Kevin Boyd, Kitty Kumar, Erik Janssen, Zahid Chowdhury, Nazir Kherani, and Rafael Kleiman, IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC) 39, Tampa, FL, June 2013.
  • “Selectively Transparent and Conductive Photonic Crystals (STCPCs) for Use in Thin Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics”, Andrew G. Flood, Kevin Boyd, Zahidur R. Chowdhury, Paul G. O’Brien, Rafael Kleiman and Nazir P. Kherani, 4th Canadian Photovoltaics Conference, Hamilton, ON, May 8-10, 2013 (poster, first place award in poster competition).
  • “Optical Characterization of Plasmonic Nanoparticle Films for Photovoltaic Applications”, Kevin Boyd and Rafael Kleiman, 4th Canadian Photovoltaics Conference, Hamilton, ON, May 8-10, 2013 (poster, public choice award in poster competition).
  • Erik Janssen and Rafael Kleiman, Ultra-thin (<10μm) Single-crystalline Silicon Solar Cell with Light-trapping via a Pigmented Diffuse Rear-reflector,  3rd Canadian Photovoltaics Conference, Montreal, QC, May 14-15, 2012.
  • Erik Janssen and Rafael Kleiman, “Novel Process Flow and Cell Architecture for 10 µm Thick Membrane Single-crystalline Silicon Solar Cells”, Proceedings of the 38th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), pp 001205-001208, (2012).
  • K. Kumar, K.C. Lee, J. Nogami, P.R. Herman, N.P. Kherani, “Anti-Reflection Monocrystalline Silicon Using a Laser Written Mask and Chemical Etching”, 2nd International Conference on Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics, Belgium (Apr 2012), poster presentation.

Patents Filed

  • N.P. Kherani, AKM Zahidur R. Chowdhury, Passivation of Silicon Surfaces using Intermediate Ultra-Thin Silicon Oxide Layer and Outer Passivating Dielectric Layer, US Patent Application, Serial No. 13/829,206 (Mar 14, 2013).
  • N.P. Kherani, AKM Zahidur R. Chowdhury, “Passivation of Silicon Surfaces using Intermediate Ultra-Thin Silicon Oxide Layer and Outer Passivating Dielectric Layer”, US Provisional Patent Application, Application No. 61646085 (2012).
  • P.G. O’Brien, D.P. Puzzo, N.P. Kherani, G.A. Ozin, A. Chutinan, Z. Lu, M. Helander, “Transparent conductive porous nanocomposites and methods of fabrication thereof”, European Patent Application, F-25628/EP (Apr 2012).
  • P.G. O’Brien, D.P. Puzzo, N.P. Kherani, G.A. Ozin, A. Chutinan, Z. Lu, M. Helander, “Transparent conductive porous nanocomposites and methods of fabrication thereof”, US Patent Application, 13/502,348 (Apr 2012).

Thesis

  • Ultra-Thin Single-Crystalline Silicon Membrane Solar Cells as a Light-Trapping Test Platform, Erik Janssen, MASc thesis, September 2012.

Education And Outreach

  • Engagement of several undergraduate students in 4th year thesis/design projects as well as summer research work in collaboration with senior graduate students.

Other Relevant Items

Journal  Publications

  • A. Melnikov · A. Mandelis · B. Halliop · N. P. Kherani, “UV Laser Photocarrier Radiometry of c-Silicon with Surface Thin Hydrogenated Amorphous Si Film”, International Journal of Thermophysics, 36 1037–1044 (2015).
  • Y. Zhang , A. Melnikov , A. Mandelis , B. Halliop , N. P. Kherani , and R. Zhu, “Optoelectronic transport properties in amorphous/crystalline silicon solar cell heterojunctions measured by frequency-domain photocarrier radiometry: Multiparameter measurement reliability and precision studies”, Review of Scientific Instruments 86 , 033901 (2015).