Efficient optical absorption in thin-film solar cells

doi:10.1364/OE.19.0A1165

Efficient optical absorption in thin-film solar cells

Lili Yang, Yimin Xuan, and Junjie Tan »View Author Affiliations

Optics Express, Vol. 19, Issue S5, pp. A1165-A1174 (2011)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.19.0A1165

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Abstract

In order to improve the optical absorption of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin film solar cells, a new structure consisted of ITO layer with the nonresonant nanoparticles embedded in it and a-Si:H layer, is proposed. By optimizing both the thickness of a-Si:H layer and nanoparticles size, the effects of Fabry-Perot resonance and the scattering of incident light are discussed and analyzed. It is demonstrated that the enhanced optical absorption can be achieved due to the coupling of incident light and nanostructure, simultaneously the proposed structure can be considered as gradient refractive index structure to restrain the reflection at the interface of ITO and a-Si:H thin film.

OCIS Codes
(050.2230) Diffraction and gratings : Fabry-Perot
(290.5850) Scattering : Scattering, particles
(310.6860) Thin films : Thin films, optical properties
(350.4990) Other areas of optics : Particles

ToC Category:
Thin Films

History
Original Manuscript: July 8, 2011
Revised Manuscript: August 20, 2011
Manuscript Accepted: August 24, 2011
Published: September 2, 2011

Citation
Lili Yang, Yimin Xuan, and Junjie Tan, "Efficient optical absorption in thin-film solar cells," Opt. Express 19, A1165-A1174 (2011)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-19-S5-A1165

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References

A. Krasnov, “Light scattering by textured transparent electrodes for thin-film silicon solar cells,” Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells94(10), 1648–1657 (2010). [CrossRef]
W. Wang, S. Wu, K. Reinhardt, Y. Lu, and S. Chen, “Broadband light absorption enhancement in thin-film silicon solar cells,” Nano Lett.10(6), 2012–2018 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
D. Madzharov, R. Dewan, and D. Knipp, “Influence of front and back grating on light trapping in microcrystalline thin-film silicon solar cells,” Opt. Express19(Suppl 2), A95–A107 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
L. Hu and G. Chen, “Analysis of optical absorption in silicon nanowire arrays for photovoltaic applications,” Nano Lett.7(11), 3249–3252 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
J. Li, H. Y. Yu, S. M. Wong, G. Zhang, X. Sun, P. G.-Q. Lo, and D.-L. Kwong, “Si nanopillar array optimization on Si thin ﬁlms for solar energy harvesting,” Appl. Phys. Lett.95(3), 033102 (2009). [CrossRef]
Y. A. Akimov and W. S. Koh, “Resonant and nonresonant plasmonic nanoparticle enhancement for thin-film silicon solar cells,” Nanotechnology21(23), 235201 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
E. Moulin, J. Sukmanowski, P. Luo, R. Carius, F. X. Royer, and H. Stiebig, “Improved light absorption in thin-film silicon solar cells by integration of silver nanoparticles,” J. Non-Cryst. Solids354(19–25) 2488–2491 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
T. L. Temple, G. D. K. Mahanama, H. S. Reehal, and D. M. Bagnall, “Influence of localized surface plasmon excitation in silver nanoparticles on the performance of silicon solar cells,” Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells93(11), 1978–1985 (2009). [CrossRef]
Y. A. Akimov, W. S. Koh, S. Y. Sian, and S. Ren, “Nanoparticle-enhanced thin film solar cells: metallic or dielectric nanoparticles,” Appl. Phys. Lett.96(7), 073111 (2010). [CrossRef]
C. Hägglund, M. Zäch, G. Petersson, and B. Kasemo, “Electromagnetic coupling of light into a silicon solar cell by nanodisk plasmons,” Appl. Phys. Lett.92(5), 053110 (2008). [CrossRef]
Y. A. Akimov and W. S. Koh, “Design of plasmonic nanoparticles for efficient subwavelength light trapping in thin-film solar cells,” Plasmonics6(1), 155–161 (2011). [CrossRef]
K. R. Catchpole and A. Polman, “Plasmonic solar cells,” Opt. Express16(26), 21793–21800 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
D. B. Ge and Y. B. Yan, Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method for Electromagnetic Waves (Xidian University Press, 2005).
A. Taflove and S. Hagness, Computational Electrodynamics: The Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method, 2nd ed. (Artech House, 2000).
H. Piller, “Silicon (Amorphous) (a-Si),” and D. Y. Smith, E. Shiles and M. Inokuti, “The Optical Properties of Metallic Aluminum,” in Handbook of Optical Constants of Solids, E.D. Palik, ed. (Academic 1985).
J. C. Maxwell-Garnett, “Colours in metal glasses and in metallic films,” Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond.203(359-371), 385–420 (1904). [CrossRef]
C. F. Bohren and D. R. Huffman, “Absorption and Scattering of Light by Small Particles.” (Wiley 1998).

Akimov, Y. A.
Bagnall, D. M.
Carius, R.
Catchpole, K. R.
Chen, G.
Chen, S.
Dewan, R.
Hägglund, C.
Hu, L.
Kasemo, B.
Knipp, D.
Koh, W. S.
Krasnov, A.
Kwong, D.-L.
Li, J.
Lo, P. G.-Q.
Lu, Y.
Luo, P.
Madzharov, D.
Mahanama, G. D. K.
Maxwell-Garnett, J. C.
Moulin, E.
Petersson, G.
Polman, A.
Reehal, H. S.
Reinhardt, K.
Ren, S.
Royer, F. X.
Sian, S. Y.
Stiebig, H.
Sukmanowski, J.
Sun, X.
Temple, T. L.
Wang, W.
Wong, S. M.
Wu, S.
Yu, H. Y.
Zäch, M.
Zhang, G.

Appl. Phys. Lett.

J. Li, H. Y. Yu, S. M. Wong, G. Zhang, X. Sun, P. G.-Q. Lo, and D.-L. Kwong, “Si nanopillar array optimization on Si thin ﬁlms for solar energy harvesting,” Appl. Phys. Lett.95(3), 033102 (2009). [CrossRef]
Y. A. Akimov, W. S. Koh, S. Y. Sian, and S. Ren, “Nanoparticle-enhanced thin film solar cells: metallic or dielectric nanoparticles,” Appl. Phys. Lett.96(7), 073111 (2010). [CrossRef]
C. Hägglund, M. Zäch, G. Petersson, and B. Kasemo, “Electromagnetic coupling of light into a silicon solar cell by nanodisk plasmons,” Appl. Phys. Lett.92(5), 053110 (2008). [CrossRef]

J. Non-Cryst. Solids

E. Moulin, J. Sukmanowski, P. Luo, R. Carius, F. X. Royer, and H. Stiebig, “Improved light absorption in thin-film silicon solar cells by integration of silver nanoparticles,” J. Non-Cryst. Solids354(19–25) 2488–2491 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Nano Lett.

W. Wang, S. Wu, K. Reinhardt, Y. Lu, and S. Chen, “Broadband light absorption enhancement in thin-film silicon solar cells,” Nano Lett.10(6), 2012–2018 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
L. Hu and G. Chen, “Analysis of optical absorption in silicon nanowire arrays for photovoltaic applications,” Nano Lett.7(11), 3249–3252 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Nanotechnology

Y. A. Akimov and W. S. Koh, “Resonant and nonresonant plasmonic nanoparticle enhancement for thin-film silicon solar cells,” Nanotechnology21(23), 235201 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Express

Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond.

J. C. Maxwell-Garnett, “Colours in metal glasses and in metallic films,” Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond.203(359-371), 385–420 (1904). [CrossRef]

Plasmonics

Y. A. Akimov and W. S. Koh, “Design of plasmonic nanoparticles for efficient subwavelength light trapping in thin-film solar cells,” Plasmonics6(1), 155–161 (2011). [CrossRef]

Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells

A. Krasnov, “Light scattering by textured transparent electrodes for thin-film silicon solar cells,” Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells94(10), 1648–1657 (2010). [CrossRef]
T. L. Temple, G. D. K. Mahanama, H. S. Reehal, and D. M. Bagnall, “Influence of localized surface plasmon excitation in silver nanoparticles on the performance of silicon solar cells,” Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells93(11), 1978–1985 (2009). [CrossRef]

Other

C. F. Bohren and D. R. Huffman, “Absorption and Scattering of Light by Small Particles.” (Wiley 1998).
D. B. Ge and Y. B. Yan, Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method for Electromagnetic Waves (Xidian University Press, 2005).
A. Taflove and S. Hagness, Computational Electrodynamics: The Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method, 2nd ed. (Artech House, 2000).
H. Piller, “Silicon (Amorphous) (a-Si),” and D. Y. Smith, E. Shiles and M. Inokuti, “The Optical Properties of Metallic Aluminum,” in Handbook of Optical Constants of Solids, E.D. Palik, ed. (Academic 1985).

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