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Light trapping in periodically textured amorphous silicon thin film solar cells using realistic interface morphologies

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Abstract

The influence of realistic interface morphologies on light trapping in amorphous silicon thin-film solar cells with periodic surface textures is studied. Realistic interface morphologies are obtained by a 3D surface coverage algorithm using the substrate morphology and layer thicknesses as input parameters. Finite difference time domain optical simulations are used to determine the absorption in the individual layers of the thin-film solar cell. The influence of realistic interface morphologies on light trapping is determined by using solar cells structures with the same front and back contact morphologies as a reference. Finally the optimal surface textures are derived.

©2013 Optical Society of America

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Figures (8)

Fig. 1
Fig. 1 Silicon film formation in the direction of (a) the glass substrate normal and (b) the local surface normal. Cross section of amorphous silicon solar cells with periodic surface textures using (c) standard interface morphologies and (d) realistic interface morphologies.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2 Back contact roughness as a function of a solar cell thickness for different pyramid heights and period of a (a) 100 nm and (b) 400 nm. Back contact roughness for standard solar cell structures is presented with dashed lines.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3 Effective thickness of the solar cell (a) p-layer with nominal thickness of 10 nm and (b) i-layer with nominal thickness of 300 nm as a function of pyramid dimensions.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4 (a) Cross section of amorphous silicon solar cell with standard interfaces for period of 100 nm and height of 120 nm. Corresponding power loss profiles for wavelength of (b) 420 nm and (c) 680 nm. (d) Cross section of amorphous silicon solar cell with standard interfaces for period of 400 nm and height of 120 nm. Corresponding power loss profiles for wavelengths of (e) 420 nm and (f) 680 nm.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5 Quantum efficiencies of standard solar cell structures for pyramid height of 120 nm and periods of 100 nm and 400 nm.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6 (a) Cross section of realistic amorphous silicon solar cell for period of 100 nm and height 120 nm. Corresponding power loss profiles for wavelength of (b) 420 nm and (c) 680 nm. (d) Cross section of amorphous silicon solar cell with standard interfaces for pyramid period of 400 nm and height 120 nm. Corresponding power loss profiles for wavelength of (e) 420 nm and (f) 680 nm.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7 Quantum efficiencies of realistic solar cell structures for pyramid height of 120 nm and periods of 100 nm and 400 nm.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8 Comparison of amorphous solar cells with standard and realistic interface morphologies. (a) Front contact losses, (c) short circuit currents and (e) back contact losses for standard solar cell structures as a function of pyramid dimensions. (b) Front contact losses, (d) short circuit currents and (f) back contact losses for realistic solar cell structures.

Equations (2)

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R qpyr = H 3 2
d eff = V layer P 2
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