We propose a design that increases significantly the absorption of a thin layer of absorbing material such as amorphous silicon. This is achieved by patterning a one-dimensional photonic crystal (1DPC) in this layer. Indeed, by coupling the incident light into slow Bloch modes of the 1DPC, we can control the photon lifetime and then, enhance the absorption integrated over the whole solar spectrum. Optimal parameters of the 1DPC maximize the integrated absorption in the wavelength range of interest, up to 45% in both S and P polarization states instead of 33% for the unpatterned, 100 nm thick amorphous silicon layer. Moreover, the absorption is tolerant with respect to fabrication errors, and remains relatively stable if the angle of incidence is changed.

© 2009 OSA

1. J. Meier, U. Kroll, E. Vallat-Sauvain, J. Spitznagel, U. Graf, and A. Shah, “Amorphous solar cells, the micrograph concept and the role of VHF-GD deposition technique,” Sol. Energy 77(6), 983–993 (2004). [CrossRef]
2. P. Bermel, C. Luo, L. Zeng, L. C. Kimerling, and J. D. Joannopoulos, “Improving thin-film crystalline silicon solar cell efficiencies with photonic crystals,” Opt. Express 15(25), 16986–17000 (2007), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-15-25-16986 . [CrossRef] [PubMed]
3. P. Matheu, S. H. Lim, D. Derkacs, C. McPheeters, and E. T. Yu, “Metal and dielectric nanoparticle scattering for improved optical absorption in photovoltaic devices,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93(11), 113108 (2008). [CrossRef]
4. D. Duché, L. Escoubas, J.-J. Simon, P. Torchio, W. Vervisch, and F. Flory, “Slow Bloch modes for enhancing the absorption of light in thin films for photovoltaic cells,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 92(19), 193310 (2008). [CrossRef]
5. C. Seassal, Y. Park, A. Fave, E. Drouard, E. Fourmond, A. Kaminski, M. Lemiti, X. Letartre, and P. Viktorovitch, “Photonic crystal assisted ultra-thin silicon photovoltaic solar cell,” Proc. SPIE 7002, 700207 (2008). [CrossRef]
6. Y.-C. Lee, C.-F. Huang, J.-Y. Chang, and M.-L. Wu, “Enhanced light trapping based on guided mode resonance effect for thin-film silicon solar cells with two filling-factor gratings,” Opt. Express 16(11), 7969–7975 (2008), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-16-11-7969 . [CrossRef] [PubMed]
7. D.-H. Ko, J. R. Tumbleston, L. Zhang, S. Williams, J. M. Desimone, R. Lopez, and E. T. Samulski, “Photonic Crystal Geometry for Organic Solar Cells,” Nano Lett. 090609114259053 (2009), doi:. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
8. N. C. Lindquist, W. A. Luhman, S.-H. Oh, and R. J. Holmes, “Plasmonic nanocavity arrays for enhanced efficiency in organic photovoltaic cells,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93(12), 123308 (2008). [CrossRef]
9. B. Ben Bakir, C. Seassal, X. Letartre, P. Viktorovitch, M. Zussy, L. Di Cioccio, and J. M. Fedeli, “Surface-emitting microlaser combining two-dimensional photonic crystal membrane and vertical Bragg mirror,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 88(8), 081113 (2006). [CrossRef]
10. Y. Ding and R. Magnusson, “Resonant leaky-mode spectral-band engineering and device applications,” Opt. Express 12(23), 5661–5674 (2004), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-12-23-5661 . [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. S. Boutami, B. B. Bakir, H. Hattori, X. Letartre, J.-L. Leclercq, P. Rojo-Rome, M. Garrigues, C. Seassal, and P. Viktorovitch, “Broadband and compact 2D photonic crystal reflectors with controllable polarization dependence,” Photon. Technol. Lett. 18(7), 835–837 (2006). [CrossRef]
12. M. G. Moharam and T. K. Gaylord, “Rigorous coupled-wave analysis of planar-grating diffraction,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. 71(7), 811–818 (1981). [CrossRef]
13. http://camfr.sourceforge.net/
14. A. Fontcuberta i Morral, P. Roca i Cabarrocas, and C. Clero, “Structure and hydrogen content of polymorphous silicon thin films studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry and nuclear measurements,” Phys. Rev. B 69(12), 125307 (2004). [CrossRef]
15. M. S. Ünlü and S. Strite, “Resonant cavity enhanced photonic devices,” J. Appl. Phys. 78(2), 607 (1995). [CrossRef]
16. X. Letartre, J. Mouette, J. L. Leclercq, P. R. Romeo, C. Seassal, and P. Viktorovitch, “Switching devices with spatial and spectral resolution combining photonic crystals and MOEMS structures,” J. Lightwave Technol. 21(7), 1691–1699 (2003). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• P. Matheu, S. H. Lim, D. Derkacs, C. McPheeters, and E. T. Yu, “Metal and dielectric nanoparticle scattering for improved optical absorption in photovoltaic devices,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93(11), 113108 (2008). [CrossRef]
• D. Duché, L. Escoubas, J.-J. Simon, P. Torchio, W. Vervisch, and F. Flory, “Slow Bloch modes for enhancing the absorption of light in thin films for photovoltaic cells,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 92(19), 193310 (2008). [CrossRef]
• N. C. Lindquist, W. A. Luhman, S.-H. Oh, and R. J. Holmes, “Plasmonic nanocavity arrays for enhanced efficiency in organic photovoltaic cells,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93(12), 123308 (2008). [CrossRef]
• B. Ben Bakir, C. Seassal, X. Letartre, P. Viktorovitch, M. Zussy, L. Di Cioccio, and J. M. Fedeli, “Surface-emitting microlaser combining two-dimensional photonic crystal membrane and vertical Bragg mirror,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 88(8), 081113 (2006). [CrossRef]

J. Appl. Phys.

• M. S. Ünlü and S. Strite, “Resonant cavity enhanced photonic devices,” J. Appl. Phys. 78(2), 607 (1995). [CrossRef]

J. Lightwave Technol.

• X. Letartre, J. Mouette, J. L. Leclercq, P. R. Romeo, C. Seassal, and P. Viktorovitch, “Switching devices with spatial and spectral resolution combining photonic crystals and MOEMS structures,” J. Lightwave Technol. 21(7), 1691–1699 (2003). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am.

• M. G. Moharam and T. K. Gaylord, “Rigorous coupled-wave analysis of planar-grating diffraction,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. 71(7), 811–818 (1981). [CrossRef]

Nano Lett.

• D.-H. Ko, J. R. Tumbleston, L. Zhang, S. Williams, J. M. Desimone, R. Lopez, and E. T. Samulski, “Photonic Crystal Geometry for Organic Solar Cells,” Nano Lett. 090609114259053 (2009), doi:. [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Express

• Y.-C. Lee, C.-F. Huang, J.-Y. Chang, and M.-L. Wu, “Enhanced light trapping based on guided mode resonance effect for thin-film silicon solar cells with two filling-factor gratings,” Opt. Express 16(11), 7969–7975 (2008), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-16-11-7969 . [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Y. Ding and R. Magnusson, “Resonant leaky-mode spectral-band engineering and device applications,” Opt. Express 12(23), 5661–5674 (2004), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-12-23-5661 . [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• P. Bermel, C. Luo, L. Zeng, L. C. Kimerling, and J. D. Joannopoulos, “Improving thin-film crystalline silicon solar cell efficiencies with photonic crystals,” Opt. Express 15(25), 16986–17000 (2007), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-15-25-16986 . [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Photon. Technol. Lett.

• S. Boutami, B. B. Bakir, H. Hattori, X. Letartre, J.-L. Leclercq, P. Rojo-Rome, M. Garrigues, C. Seassal, and P. Viktorovitch, “Broadband and compact 2D photonic crystal reflectors with controllable polarization dependence,” Photon. Technol. Lett. 18(7), 835–837 (2006). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. B

• A. Fontcuberta i Morral, P. Roca i Cabarrocas, and C. Clero, “Structure and hydrogen content of polymorphous silicon thin films studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry and nuclear measurements,” Phys. Rev. B 69(12), 125307 (2004). [CrossRef]

Proc. SPIE

• C. Seassal, Y. Park, A. Fave, E. Drouard, E. Fourmond, A. Kaminski, M. Lemiti, X. Letartre, and P. Viktorovitch, “Photonic crystal assisted ultra-thin silicon photovoltaic solar cell,” Proc. SPIE 7002, 700207 (2008). [CrossRef]

Sol. Energy

• J. Meier, U. Kroll, E. Vallat-Sauvain, J. Spitznagel, U. Graf, and A. Shah, “Amorphous solar cells, the micrograph concept and the role of VHF-GD deposition technique,” Sol. Energy 77(6), 983–993 (2004). [CrossRef]

Other

• http://camfr.sourceforge.net/

Click here to see a list of articles that cite this paper

Related Journal Articles

• The Co-film-thickness dependent lateral photoeffect in Co-SiO₂-Si metal-oxide-semiconductor structures (OE)
• Trapping light with micro lenses in thin film organic photovoltaic cells (OE)
• Photovoltaic characteristics of polymer solar cells fabricated by pre-metered coating process (OE)
• Absorbing one-dimensional planar photonic crystal for amorphous silicon solar cell (OE)
• Optical absorption enhancement in a hybrid system photonic crystal – thin substrate for photovoltaic applications (OE)

Related Conference Papers

• Temperature Dependent Characteristics of Thin Film Nanocrystal Solar Cells
• 3D-FDTD Analysis of Absorption Enhancement in Nanostructured Thin Film Solar Cells
• 3D-FDTD Analysis of Absorption Enhancement in Nanostructured Thin Film Solar Cells
• 3D-FDTD Analysis of Absorption Enhancement in Nanostructured Thin Film Solar Cells
• 3D-FDTD Analysis of Absorption Enhancement in Nanostructured Thin Film Solar Cells