en Research Paper Research Paper <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="background:white"><span style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:200%"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">In this work, we demonstrate the beneficial effect of introducing a superficial porous silicon layer on the electronic quality of multi-crystalline silicon for photovoltaic cell application. The porous silicon was formed using an acid vapor etching-based method. The porous silicon layer rich in hydrogen and oxygen formed by vapor etching is an excellent passivating agent for the mc-Si surface. Laser beam-induced current (LBIC) analysis of the exponentiation parameter (n) and surface current mapping demonstrates that oxygen and hydrogen-rich porous silicon led to excellent surface passivation with a strong electronic quality improvement of multi-crystalline silicon.&nbsp; It was found that the generated current of treated silicon by acid vapor etching-based method is 20 times greater as compared to the reference substrate, owing to recombination centers passivation of the grains and grain boundaries (GBs); The actual study revealed an apparent decrease in the recombination velocity of the minority carrier as reflected by 25% decrease in the exponentiation parameter (n) of the LBIC versus X-position measurements. These results make achieved porous silicon a good option for advancing efficient photovoltaic cells.&nbsp;<span style="color:blue"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> &nbsp; Multi-crystalline silicon,Laser beam induced current,Vapor etching,Oxygen and hydrogen,Passivation. 1 7 http://ijmse.iust.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-4596-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Aqeel Mohammed Hamoudi mekiyaakel@gmail.com 1800319475328460017353 1800319475328460017353 Yes Research and Technology Centre of Energy Karim Choubani kElChobani@imamu.edu.sa 1800319475328460017354 1800319475328460017354 No College of Engineering, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Mohamed Ben Rabha rabha2222@yahoo.fr 1800319475328460017355 1800319475328460017355 No Research and Technology Centre of Energy, Tunisia