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Optimizing two-level hierarchical particles for thin-film solar cells

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Abstract

For the thin-film solar cells embedded with nanostructures at their rear dielectric layer, the shape and location of the nanostructures are crucial for higher conversion efficiency. A novel two-level hierarchical nanostructure (a sphere evenly covered with half truncated smaller spheres) can facilitate stronger intensity and wider scattering angles due to the coexistence of the merits of the nanospheres in two scales. We show in this article that the evolutionary algorithm allows for obtaining the optimal parameters of this two-scale nanostructure in terms of the maximization of the short circuit current density. In comparison with the thin-film solar cells with convex and flat metal back, whose parameters are optimized singly, the short circuit current density is improved by 7.48% and 10.23%, respectively. The exploration of such a two-level hierarchical nanostructure within an optimization framework signifies a new domain of study and allows to better identify the role of sophisticated shape in light trapping in the absorbing film, which is believed to be the main reason for the enhancement of short circuit current density.

©2013 Optical Society of America

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Figures (6)

Fig. 1
Fig. 1 Schematic of the thin-film solar cell: (a) front view; (b) cross sectional view; (c) 3D view.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2 Schematic of a hierarchical silver particle in a thin-film solar cell: (a) the representative volume element; (b) two-level nanoshperes.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3 The vertical/horizontal cross sections of the electric intensity: (a) and (d) around the separately-optimized nanospheres for convex solar cell; (b) and (e) around the optimized nanospheres for convex solar cell; (c) and (f) around the optimized nanospheres for flat solar cell.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4 (a) The convergence history of the optimization process: (a) the short circuit current density; (b) five design parameters.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5 The relative absorption distribution per unit volume: (a) flat solar cell without nanostructure; (b) convex solar cell with rear-located optimized nanostructure; (c) flat solar cell with rear-located optimized nanostructure.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6 The short circuit current density in the sunlight spectrum for three solar cells.

Tables (3)

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Table 1 Specifications of two-scale nanostructure

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Table 2 The parameters and the performance of the convex solar cells

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Table 3 The parameters and the performance of the flat solar cells

Equations (3)

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θ k =arccos( 1+ 2( k1 ) / ( N1 ) )1kN.
φ k = φ k1 + 3.6 / N( 1 ( 1+ 2( k1 ) / ( N1 ) ) 2 ) .
J sc =e λ/( hc )QE( λ ) I AM1.5 ( λ ) dλ.
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