Article contents
SIMULATION OF PLASMONIC CRYSTAL ENHANCEMENT OF THIN FILM SOLAR CELL ABSORPTION
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 January 2011
Abstract
Light management and enhanced photon harvesting is a critical area for improving efficiency of thin film solar cells. Red and near infrared photons with energies just above the band edge have large absorption lengths in amorphous silicon and can not be efficiently collected. We previously demonstrated that a photonic crystal back reflector involving a periodically patterned ZnO layer can enhance absorption of band edge photons. We propose and design alternative new plasmonic crystal structures that enhance absorption in thin film solar cell structures. These plasmonic crystals consist of a periodically patterned metal back reflector with a periodic array of holes An amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon layer resides on top of this plasmonic crystal followed by a standard anti-reflecting coating. We have found plasmonic crystal structures enhance average photon absorption by more than 10%, and by more than a factor of 10 at wavelengths just above the band edge, and should lead to improved cell efficiency. The plasmonic crystal diffracts band edge photons within the absorber layer, increasing their path length and dwell time. In addition there is concentration of light within the plasmonic crystal. Design simulations are performed with rigorous scattering matrix simulations where both polarizations of light are accounted for.
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © Materials Research Society 2009
References
- 1
- Cited by