Semiconductor Science and Technology

This work presents the UV annealing method (UVAM) as an efficient way to produce yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃) thin films, using water-based solution processing. The effect of increasing UV exposure (30-, 60-, 90-, and 120 min) on the microstructure, optical and electrical properties of Y₂O₃ films has been investigated and also compared with a thermally (at 350 °C) annealed film. All the films are found to be amorphous (via x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy) with a decreasing crystallinity component (representing increasing disorder) have a smooth-to-grainy surface morphology (via scanning electron microscopy) and exhibit oxygen deficiency with increasing UVAM exposure. The fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis reveals characteristic footprints of Y–O vibrations with minimal traces of impurities. An increasing trend in optical transmittance (80%–89%), while a decrease in band gap energy (E_g) (4.58–4.10 eV) is observed from UV–Vis spectroscopy. Spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements have confirmed that defects play a substantial role in the dispersion profiles of the optical constants of Y₂O₃ films. Considerable increases in the refractive index (n) (1.62–2.25) and dielectric constant (_r) (2.62–5.28) are observed in UVAM Y₂O₃ films compared to thermally treated films. The luminescence bands in photoluminescence (PL) spectra are ascribed to the transitions from donor acceptor pairs and oxygen related defects. Furthermore, the increase in both the PL peak intensity and the carrier concentration with the decrease in the electrical resistivity (6–1.8 × 10⁴ Ω cm), found from Hall Effect measurements, confirms the effective photo functionalization induced by UVAM in Y₂O₃ films. We have also obtained a significant improvement of optoelectronic figure of merit (ϕ = 1.01 × 10⁻⁵ (Ω cm)⁻¹) with UVAM. A clear connection between the UVAM and optical and/or electrical parameters found for Y₂O₃ films confirms that tuning these characteristics for tailor-made applications is achievable through UVAM, which has established its potential to produce Y₂O₃ thin films with performance on par with high temperature annealing-based films. Also, water-based solution processing offers a straightforward and low-cost method as an alternate for flexible and environmentally friendlier opto-electronic technologies.

We present a detailed investigation on the properties of supersaturated GaAs using Cr implantation followed by nanosecond pulsed laser melting (PLM). A comparison between two different lasers was carried out (ArF and Nd:YAG). We have analyzed supersaturated samples by means of structural, electrical, optical, and optoelectronic techniques. Raman spectroscopy and Transmission electron microscopy results show a recovery of crystallinity after the PLM process. ToF-SIMS results reveal a Cr concentration above the solid solubility limit after the PLM process, featuring depth distribution depending on the type of laser used. The sheet resistance results obtained using van der Pauw configuration measurements show an activation of the implanted Cr in semi-insulating GaAs after PLM. Optical transmittance and Reflectance measurements show a sub-bandgap absorption (up to 10% for λ = 1250 nm) of the supersaturated GaAs:Cr related to the Cr incorporation, besides absorption induced by the PLM process itself. The origin of this sub-bandgap absorption has been analyzed by means of opto-electronic measurements revealing sub-bandgap photoresponsivity related to the absorption analyzed. The photoresponsivity measured below the bandgap originates from both the defects introduced by the PLM process and the states within the bandgap associated to the implanted Cr.

In this work, five dual-channel vertical trench GaN-based metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) are proposed and studied. The dual-channel structures include dual two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) structure, 2DEG and three-DEG (3DEG) hybrid structures, and dual 3DEG structure. Compared to the MOSFET with 2DEG from the abrupt GaN/Al_0.3Ga_0.7N heterostructure, the MOSFET with 3DEG from the graded Al_xGa_1−xN (0 ⩽ x⩽ 0.3) layer can provide more channel electrons, and significantly improve the saturation current and reduce the on-resistance. By introducing three-dimensional hole gas as the current barrier layer to optimize the dual-3DEG channel vertical MOSFET, the saturation current of the optimized MOSFET is 2.8 times higher and the on-resistance is reduced by 53% to 1.11 mΩcm² at V_gs = 12 V, and the breakdown voltage is increased from 955 V to 1510 V compared with traditional single-channel MOSFET. Therefore, the optimized dual-channel MOSFET has excellent DC characteristics and can be used as a high-power switching device in next-generation energy and communications applications.

This article introduces the line tunneling-based gate-overlapped-source-only nanotube tunnel FET for the implementation of a low-power standard ternary inverter (STI). The proposed device exhibits a higher ON current with a steep subthreshold slope of 30 mV decade⁻¹ while operating at V_DD = 0.5 V. It is optimized for ternary operation, demonstrating gate-bias-independent point tunneling and gate-bias-dependent line tunneling. This device is meticulously optimized by varying the channel length, source doping, and drain doping, a process that is detailed in this article. The optimized device shows ∼96% improvement in static power dissipation, ∼50% improvement in dynamic power dissipation, and ∼49% improvement in the power-delay product compared to the conventional tunneling based ternary CMOS.

PbS colloidal quantum dot (CQD) photodiodes are becoming increasingly significant for their utility in short-wave infrared detection and imaging. Despite their promise, challenges persist in synthesizing large PbS quantum dots that extend their response wavelength beyond 1500 nm. The usual hot-injection method has problems because of changes in temperature, solution ratios, and the Ostwald ripening process, all of which make it harder to make large PbS quantum dots that are all the same size as the temperature rises. In this study, we introduced small-sized PbS quantum dots, which absorb light at approximately 600 nm, into a reaction system containing seed quantum dots that absorb light at approximately 1050 nm. This process was repeated on multiple occasions to facilitate the growth of the quantum dots, resulting in larger PbS quantum dots with an absorption peak at 1550 nm. By meticulously regulating parameters such as dosage, reaction time, and the number of injections, we successfully synthesized PbS quantum dots of varying sizes. This approach not only enables the production of PbS quantum dots with specific size requirements but also introduces novel insights into the synthesis mechanism of PbS. Furthermore, PbS CQD photodiodes were fabricated with reduced dark current densities by employing SnO₂ synthesized via the sol–gel method as an electron transport layer, which better matches the energy bands of the larger PbS quantum dots. At ambient temperature, the photodiode demonstrated a responsivity of 290 mA W⁻¹ with a normalized detectivity of 1.16 × 10¹¹ Jones, thereby underscoring its promising potential for practical applications.

In recent years, Cu–Ag–Bi–I quaternary lead-free perovskites have emerged as promising candidates for optoelectronic applications, offering an environmental alternative to traditional lead-based perovskites. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of the current advancements in the synthesis, structural characterization, and photoelectric properties of Cu–Ag–Bi–I compounds, with a focus on their photoelectric applications, including solar cells, indoor photovoltaics, and photodetectors. The unique combination of metal cations in Cu–Ag–Bi–I materials leads to tunable bandgaps, high absorption coefficients, and favorable charge transport properties, positioning them as versatile materials for various optoelectronic applications. Despite their potential, challenges remain in optimizing their performance and stability. We discuss current strategies, such as additive engineering and doping, to enhance material properties and suggest future directions for the development of these materials. Ultimately, Cu–Ag–Bi–I lead-free perovskites has significant potential for commercialization as a burgeoning green and efficient photoelectric materials.

Traditional semiconductor lasers, despite their versatility, face significant challenges in beam control, power output, and temperature sensitivity. Photonic crystal surface emitting lasers (PCSELs) overcome these limitations by employing a two-dimensional photonic crystal structure, enabling large-area, high-power, coherent laser emission with narrow beam divergence and narrow linewidth. This review offers a concise overview of PCSEL technology, concentrating on its design principles, fabrication processes, and potential applications. We trace the development of PCSELs from their initial demonstration in 1999 to recent breakthroughs achieving 50 W output power with ultra-narrow beam divergence. Furthermore, we explore the fundamental design principles of PCSELs, including mode analysis, threshold current, and injection design. Key steps in PCSEL fabrication are outlined, emphasizing methods such as regrowth epitaxy and transparent conductor deposition. Finally, we compare PCSELs with established semiconductor laser types, highlighting their applications and prospects.

Gallium nitride (GaN) has gained traction in replacing silicon for power electronics applications, due to its high breakdown field, high mobility 2D electron gas, and effective n/p-type doping. This paper reviews three important topics of GaN power devices. One is the voltage-blocking structures needed to operate at high voltage while minimizing conduction loss and switching loss. Another one is the structure used to achieve normally-off operation, which is often required for power electronics. The third topic is the monolithic integration of gate drivers and power switches to achieve the ultimate switching speed at a low cost.

This paper provides a comprehensive review of multi-stage infrared detectors, including interband cascade infrared photodetectors (ICIPs) and quantum cascade detectors (QCDs). These detectors exhibit low dark current, high detectivity, and high 3 dB bandwidth positioning them as promising candidates in infrared (IR) detector technology. The review covers the history of multi-stage IR detectors, the corresponding device physics, materials systems, DC and RF performance, and recent advancements. Additionally, a comparative analysis of ICIPs and QCDs is provided, along with discussions on optimization strategies. This review is intended to be a valuable resource for researchers and engineers in the field of IR detector technology, offering a detailed insight into the most advanced multi-stage IR detector technology and providing guidance for future development.

Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells (PSTSCs) have garnered global interest owing to their potential for achieving high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) at reduced costs. Although single-junction solar cells presently dominate the photovoltaic (PV) market, PSTSCs recently achieved a record-breaking PCE of 33.9%, thereby showing considerable promise as a next-generation PV technology. The development of highly efficient PSTSCs at a low production cost could markedly impact the future of the PV industry. Perovskite-based TSCs have demonstrated superior efficiency in converting light compared to their standalone counterparts, owing to their more effective utilization of the photon spectrum and reduced energy loss. However, several challenges must be addressed to surpass the Shockley–Queisser limit of 29.4% for silicon solar cells, which necessitates a deeper understanding of this promising technology. This review offers a distinct perspective on the routes toward commercializing PSTSCs and scrutinizes the current forefront of scientific and engineering hurdles in this domain. By leveraging insights from existing research on perovskites and silicon, we summarize the technical issues anticipated during the large-scale production of PSTSCs and suggest potential avenues for future research.

This study investigates the focused ion beam (FIB)-induced damage on the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) lamellae of terbium-doped oxygen-rich silicon oxide (ORSO:Tb) thin films by comparing the TEM images prepared using FIB and conventional mechanical methods. While there are significant advantages to the FIB technique, there is a potential that energetic ions used during the FIB process impose damage to the lamellae. The results indicate that TEM images of FIB-prepared lamellae exhibit higher resolution, allowing for a more detailed examination of nanocrystal structures and quantum dots. In contrast, the lack of sufficient clarity of the mechanically prepared TEM images reduced the number of nanocrystals visible in the field of view, resulting in a less effective and detailed study of the thinned films. We found no evidence of Ga implantation or mixing into the thinned film, and there were no observable FIB-induced damages such as recrystallization, or amorphization. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra exhibited red and blue shifts with increasing annealing temperature at blue and green emissions, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns verify that the formation of crystalline nanostructures begins at 1100 ⁰C, and at least at 1200 ⁰C, two phases of Tb4Si3(SiO4)O10 and Tb2O3 in the sample are recognized.

This paper reports an effective way of improving the linearity of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) by modulating the AlGaN barrier thickness under the gate electrode along its width. This produces an offset in the local equivalent threshold voltage (VT ), and consequently, the proposed device acts as multiple transistors with a VT offset connected in parallel configuration. Due to the resulting gm3 cancellation, the new device
structure exhibits 10-fold suppressed gm3 peak compared to conventional planar-gated AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. A linearization of Cgs −VGS curve is also demonstrated. Compact modeling and large signal simulation of the proposed device exhibits 7 dB improvement in the linearity figure-of-merit, OIP3/PDC at 5 GHz, compared to the conventional planar gated devices. Additionally, around 10 dB suppression in two-tone third-order intermodulation distortion (IMD3) and improved efficiency across 3 dB, 6 dB and 10 dB output back-offs (OBOs) is observed compared to the conventional planar-gated AlGaN/GaN HEMTs at 5 GHz for deep class AB applications. Hence, the proposed longitudinally-varying gate recess technology is a promising candidate for mm-wave linear and efficient amplifiers, suitable for 5G applications.

In this study, the electrical performance of β-Ga₂O₃ Schottky barrier diode (SBD) has been significantly enhanced through the application of O₂ plasma and annealing treatment (OPAT). Compared to the control device, the OPAT β-Ga₂O₃ SBD exhibits superior turn-on voltage(V_on), specific on-resistance (R_on,sp) and breakdown voltage (V_br). Moreover, by incorporating electron-beam evaporated Al₂O₃ as the field plate oxide, the surface breakdown electric field increases from 2.19 MV/cm to 4.09 MV/cm, as extracted by TCAD simulation. The OPAT field-plated β-Ga₂O₃ SBD achieves V_on of 0.52 V at the current density of 1 A/cm², R_on,sp of 3.10 mΩ·cm², and V_br of 1.93 kV. Its power figure of merit reaches 1.2 GW/cm². X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy measurements indicate that OPAT reduces the concentration of oxygen vacancy, which in turn decreases the Schottky barrier height of the device, consequently enhancing the performance of β-Ga₂O₃ SBD. These results demonstrate the enormous potential of β-Ga₂O₃ in low V_on and high V_br applications.

Photoconductive terahertz emitters have proven to be crucial devices for generating terahertz radiation, which has broad applications in imaging, broadband spectroscopy, nonlinear spectroscopy etc. Traditional photoconductive terahertz emitters are typically stimulated by 800 nm lasers, however, face challenges such as integration and cost. A noteworthy alternative is the use of photoconductive terahertz emitters driven by 1550 nm lasers. This approach establishes a connection between terahertz technology and communication technology, offering the benefits of lower cost and compact integration. Consequently, it has emerged as an important area for future advancements of terahertz devices and systems. The properties of photoconductive materials are key factors in determining device performance. While important progresses have been made in development of 1550 nm photoconductive materials, many challenges still remain. This paper reviews materials of 1550 nm-pumped terahertz photoconductive emitters, including epitaxial layer structures, growth conditions, material treatment methods, and the influence mechanisms of various epitaxy or treatment conditions on material properties. Finally, factors influencing terahertz source devices and corresponding material optimization methods are summarized. This review aims to provide a foundation for improving the performance of terahertz photoconductive materials and devices, offering objective and practical guidance for researchers in this field.

A light-emitting-diodes (LEDs)-integrated silicon carbide (SiC) insulated gate bipolar transistors (LI-IGBT) is proposed in this paper. The novelty of the LI-IGBT depends on the photogeneration effect of III-nitride LEDs embedded in the poly-Si regions of IGBT. Then, the photogenerated carriers are formed in the JFET region and the drift layer, indicating the increase of the conductivity in LI-IGBT as compared with the SiC IGBT with hole-barrier layer (H-IGBT) and the SiC IGBT with charge storage layer (CSL-IGBT). The static simulation results show that the electron density of the LI-IGBT at the middle of the drift layer is separately 17.44 times and 15.81 times higher than those of the H-IGBT and CSL-IGBT, yielding 40.91% and 37.38% reduction of forward voltage drop, respectively, and also, the LI-IGBT shows 304.59% and 263.67% improvements in BFOM as compared with CSL-IGBT and H-IGBT, respectively. For the dynamic simulation in one cycle, the loss of LI-IGBT is separately reduced by 6.57% and 8.57% compared to H-IGBT and CSL-IGBT. Meanwhile, the relationship between VC(sat) and Eturn-off can be optimized by adjusting collector doping and minority carrier lifetime. These results reveal that the proposed SiC IGBT will be more suitable for ultra-high voltage application.

Semiconductor nanowires can be utilized to create quantum dot qubits. The formation of quantum dots is typically achieved by means of bottom gates created by a lift-off process. As an alternative, we fabricated flat buried bottom gate structures by filling etched trenches in a Si substrate with sputtered TiN, followed by mechanical polishing. This method achieved gate line pitches as small as 60 nm. The gate fingers have low gate leakage. As a proof of principle, we fabricated quantum dot devices using InAs nanowires placed on the gate fingers. These devices exhibit single electron tunneling and Coulomb blockade.

This study investigates the focused ion beam (FIB)-induced damage on the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) lamellae of terbium-doped oxygen-rich silicon oxide (ORSO:Tb) thin films by comparing the TEM images prepared using FIB and conventional mechanical methods. While there are significant advantages to the FIB technique, there is a potential that energetic ions used during the FIB process impose damage to the lamellae. The results indicate that TEM images of FIB-prepared lamellae exhibit higher resolution, allowing for a more detailed examination of nanocrystal structures and quantum dots. In contrast, the lack of sufficient clarity of the mechanically prepared TEM images reduced the number of nanocrystals visible in the field of view, resulting in a less effective and detailed study of the thinned films. We found no evidence of Ga implantation or mixing into the thinned film, and there were no observable FIB-induced damages such as recrystallization, or amorphization. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra exhibited red and blue shifts with increasing annealing temperature at blue and green emissions, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns verify that the formation of crystalline nanostructures begins at 1100 ⁰C, and at least at 1200 ⁰C, two phases of Tb4Si3(SiO4)O10 and Tb2O3 in the sample are recognized.

Heavily-doped, amorphous and polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) layers play important roles in silicon solar cell fabrication and performance. Here we demonstrate applications of time-resolved photoluminescence decay to measure recombination lifetimes in such regions, which are generally below 1 µs, and difficult to measure with other techniques. Firstly, we demonstrate the measurement of Auger lifetimes in uniformly heavily-doped silicon wafers, and show the impact of surface recombination in samples with phosphorus or boron doping concentrations below 1 × 10¹⁹ cm⁻³. We also assess the possible impact of high concentrations of iron contamination on the extraction of such Auger lifetimes. We then report recombination lifetimes measured in thin deposited intrinsic amorphous silicon films, and heavily-doped poly-Si films, as commonly used in passivating contact structures. Interestingly, recombination lifetimes in intrinsic amorphous silicon films can be significantly enhanced by a hydrogenation process. By contrast, recombination lifetimes in heavily-doped poly-Si films vary with different doping profiles for samples fabricated with different deposition techniques, but are not improved by hydrogenation.

Germanium (Ge), characterized by its indirect bandgap energy of 0.66 eV, faces limitations in optoelectronic applications. However, applying strain transforms Ge into a direct bandgap semiconductor, potentially broadening its technological utility. This study investigates the effects of intense femtosecond (fs) laser irradiation on crystalline Ge to induce such strain and examine its consequent structural and electronic alterations. Employing micro-Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and spectrophotometric analyses, we aim to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of strain-induced transformations. Our findings reveal a maximum Raman shift of up to 10.5 cm⁻¹, indicative of significant localized tensile strain. TEM analysis shows polycrystalline structures with rich defects, corroborating Raman data and suggesting strained nanostructures. XRD results point to anisotropic type of strain, which could facilitate the transition towards a direct bandgap semiconductor compared to uniaxial or biaxial strain. Optical measurements further indicate bandgap enlargement to 0.78 eV, close to the direct transition energy at 0.8 eV. These comprehensive analyses demonstrate that fs laser irradiation can effectively induce strains to transform Ge, thereby enhancing its application potential in photonic and optoelectronic devices.

The effect of the quantum well (QW) number (n_QW) in far ultraviolet-C light emitting diodes (LEDs) on the optical power, external quantum efficiency (EQE) and degradation has been investigated. AlGaN-based multi-QW (MQW) LEDs designed for emission at 233 nm and 226 nm with n_QW between 1 and 30 are compared. A positive correlation between the optical power at 200 mA and L70 lifetime for large n_QW was observed. For the 233 nm LEDs QW numbers 6 ⩽ n_QW ⩽ 15 result in optical powers of 4–5 mW at 200 mA (corresponding to a maximum EQE of 0.47% for n_QW = 15) and L70 lifetimes of 9–13 h. For n_QW = 30 a reduction of output power and L70 lifetime was found indicating an optimum n_QW for 233 nm LEDs. For the 226 nm LEDs a constant optical power of 0.5 mW at 200 mA (corresponding to an EQE of 0.05%) was measured independent of n_QW. However, the L70 lifetime continuously increases from 7 h for 3 QWs to 13 h for 18 QWs. The enhanced optical power accompanied by a reduced degradation is attributed to a reduced hole leakage from the MQW into the n-side and reduced local charge carrier density per QW for large n_QW.

Gallium nitride (GaN) has gained traction in replacing silicon for power electronics applications, due to its high breakdown field, high mobility 2D electron gas, and effective n/p-type doping. This paper reviews three important topics of GaN power devices. One is the voltage-blocking structures needed to operate at high voltage while minimizing conduction loss and switching loss. Another one is the structure used to achieve normally-off operation, which is often required for power electronics. The third topic is the monolithic integration of gate drivers and power switches to achieve the ultimate switching speed at a low cost.

We report on the fabrication and micro-transfer printing (µ-TP) of InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiodes (APDs) onto silicon substrates. A process flow was developed to suspend the devices using semiconductor tethers. The developed process reduces the number of fabrication steps required compared to methods based on the use of photoresist tethers. Furthermore, our process is compatible with devices that may be susceptible to damage induced by the photoresist removal process. APDs were characterised in linear mode operation both before suspension and after printing. Despite the additional fabrication steps required to suspend the APD membranes and the physical nature of the µ-TP process, the electrical characteristics of the devices were preserved. No degradation in the optical performance of the devices was measured. Our work represents the first demonstration of µ-TP of InGaAs/InP APDs onto silicon substrates. The results highlight the viability of µ-TP for effective heterogeneous integration of InGaAs/InP APDs with silicon photonic integrated circuits for optical and quantum communication and other light detection applications.

Arrays of far-UVC micro light emitting diodes (LEDs) based on AlGaN and emitting at 233–235 nm have been fabricated on different types of AlN-sapphire templates and the optical polarization, output power, and efficiencies have been studied in dependence of the template technology and the mesa diameter of the micro-pixels. While LEDs fabricated on metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) AlN-sapphire templates show dominant TM polarized emission with a degree of polarization (DoP) of −0.2, LEDs on high temperature annealed AlN-sapphire templates show dominant TE polarized emission with a DoP of 0.2–0.3. The output power and external quantum efficiency increases with decreasing diameter of the slanted and reflective micro LED mesa. Peak output powers of 18 mW at 200 mA and peak external quantum efficiencies of up to 2.7% for mesa diameters of 1.5 µm on annealed templates were measured, corresponding to peak wall plug efficiencies of 1.7%, while conventional LEDs with large mesa areas on the same template showed maximum EQEs of 1.1%. The relative increase in output power by using the micro LED approach as compared to a conventional large area emitter is stronger for LEDs on MOVPE AlN templates than on annealed templates (about a factor of 3.7 vs. 2.3, respectively, at 50 mA) which is attributed to the polarization dependence of the light extraction.

The quantum spin Hall effect in non-magnetic and Mn-doped HgTe quantum well (QW) is strongly affected by Kondo scattering of edge electrons by holes localized on acceptors. A generalized eigenvalue method is usually employed for determining impurity binding energies from the multiband Kohn–Luttinger Hamiltonians in bulk samples and semiconductor quantum structures. Such an approach provides accurate values of the level positions but its applicability for determining the impurity localization radius can be questioned. As an alternative method we propose here the Gram–Schmidt orthogonalization procedure allowing to employ the standard eigenvalue algorithms and, thus, to determine both impurity level energies and the set of normalized eigenvectors. We apply this approach to singly-ionized acceptor states in HgTe QWs and obtain impurity level energies and localization radiuses even for states degenerate with the continuum of band states. Such information allows us to assess the energy of bound magnetic polarons in QWs doped with magnetic ions. We determine the polaron energies and discuss consequences of the resonant polaron formation on band transport in the bulk samples and QWs in the regimes of quantum Hall effects.

The Shockley–Queisser limit poses a significant challenge in solar technology research, limiting the theoretical efficiency to around 30%. Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems have emerged as a solution by incorporating a thermal absorber in traditional solar cell setups to achieve total efficiency beyond the limits. The efficiency of the overall system heavily depends on the performance and quality of the thermal absorber, which absorbs photons from the heat source and transfers them to the TPV cell. However, complex and expensive fabrication processes have hindered widespread adoption of TPV technology. The well-established metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) method could be the best choice to mitigate these as it is a cost-effective, scalable, and mass-production-friendly process, which is widely used for surface texturization, creating nanostructures like nanopores, pyramids, and nanowires. MACE technique is also suitable for producing highly efficient silicon-based thermal absorbers with over 90% absorption rate, which can contribute to increased total conversion efficiency. However, it does not come without challenges such as maintaining control over the etch rate in order to achieve uniformity. This paper comprehensively reviews the utilization of MACE for fabricating silicon-based thermal absorbers in TPV systems with the range of effective wavelengths of 600–2000 nm which corresponds to the energy level of 0.55–1.85 eV. The advantages and challenges of MACE, along with characterization techniques, are extensively discussed. By providing valuable insights, this paper aims to support researchers interested in advancing TPV technology.