Black silicon nanostructures for solar energy conversion and photonic applications: a review
Huaping Jia, Fengjia Xie, Elyes Nefzaoui, Tarik Bourouina, Heng Jiang, Xuming Zhang
Abstract
The rapid advancement of renewable energy technologies is essential for combating global climate change and achieving energy sustainability. Among the various renewable sources, solar energy stands out, with silicon playing a pivotal role in solar energy conversion. However, traditional silicon-based devices often face challenges due to high surface reflectance, which limits their efficiency. The emergence of black silicon (b-Si) offers a transformative solution, thanks to its micro- and nanoscale structures that provide ultra-low reflectivity and enhanced light absorption. This makes b-Si an ideal candidate for improving solar energy devices. Beyond solar energy applications, b-Si has drawn notable interest in photonics, including applications in photodetectors, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, and imaging. This review explores b-Si comprehensively, discussing its fabrication processes, distinctive properties, and contributions to both solar energy conversion and photonic technologies. Key topics include its roles in solar cells, photoelectrochemical systems, solar thermal energy conversion, and advanced photonic devices. Furthermore, the review addresses the challenges and future directions for optimizing b-Si to facilitate its practical deployment across a range of energy and photonic applications.