A cylindrical Si3N4 nanopattern whose heights was 200 nm was fabricated on a glass substrate, and an aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) layer was grown on the nanopatterned glass substrate. The nano-pattern was applied to an amorphous silicon solar cell in order to increase the light-scattering effect, thus enhancing the efficiency of the solar cell. The reflectance of the solar cell on the Si3N4 nanopattern decreased and its absorption increased. Compared to a flat substrate, the short-circuit current density (J(SC)) and conversion efficiency of a solar cell on the Si3N4 nanopatterned substrate were improved by 17.9% and 24.2%, respectively, as determined from solar simulator measurements. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.