Single-crystalline silicon alkaline texturing with glycerol or ethylene glycol additives
US8440494B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 20, 2011 |
| Grant date | May 14, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 16, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/50
- WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Alternative additives that can be used in place of isopropyl alcohol in aqueous alkaline etchant solutions for texturing a surface of a single-crystalline silicon substrate are provided. The alternative additives do not have volatile constituents, yet can be used in an aqueous alkaline etchant solution to provide a pyramidal shaped texture surface to the single-crystalline silicon substrate that is exposed to such an etchant solution. Also provided is a method of forming a textured silicon surface. The method includes immersing a single-crystalline silicon substrate into an etchant solution to form a pyramid shaped textured surface on the single-crystalline silicon substrate. The etchant solution includes an alkaline component, silicon (etched into the solution as a bath conditioner) and glycerol or ethylene glycol as an additive. The textured surface of the single-crystalline silicon substrate has (111) faces that are now exposed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.