Silicon nitride and oxide double layers for anti-reflection coatings on silicon were made via RF magnetron sputtering using a silicon nitride target and then studied. The silicon nitride and oxide films were obtained at sputtering conditions of 340 W RF power, 5 mtorr (0.667 Pa) Ar; a 100 degrees C substrate temperature both in the presense and absence of oxygen, respectively. The films showed an average 3% reflectivity between a 400 and 1100 nm wavelength. The nitride had a refractive index of 2.36 and an absorption coefficient of 0.21 with a thickness of 85 nm, which was 26% thicker than the ideal thickness for an antireflection coating. The oxide had a refractive index of 1.48 and an absorption coefficient of 0 with an ideal thickness of 1075 nm. The surface morphology consisted of a smooth and dense film with good adhesion to the silicon surface.

Keywords: antireflection coating; solar cell; silicon nitride; silicon oxide; double layer