Patent ID: 7951638

Claim:
A method for making a textured surface on a solar cell comprising the steps of: providing a solar cell with a P-type layer and an N-type layer; providing a silicon quantum dot-silicon nitride film on the solar cell by chemical vapor deposition; etching the silicon quantum dot-silicon nitride film in a first phase where the etching of the silicon nitride is faster than that of the silicon quantum dots so that the silicon quantum dots are exposed, thus forming a transient textured surface on the silicon quantum dot-silicon nitride film; and etching the silicon quantum dot-silicon nitride film in a second phase where the etching of the silicon nitride is slower than that of the silicon quantum dots so that some of the silicon quantum dots are removed, thus leaving cavities in the silicon quantum dot-silicon nitride film, i.e., forming a final textured surface on the silicon quantum dot-silicon nitride film.