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Optical properties and Limits of a Large-Area Periodic Nanophotonic Light Trapping Design for Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Film Solar Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2013

Daniel Lockau ,
Tobias Sontheimer ,
Veit Preidel ,
Christiane Becker ,
Florian Ruske ,
Frank Schmidt  and
Bernd Rech
Daniel Lockau
Affiliation:
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Institute for Silicon Photovoltaics, Kekuléstraße 5, D-12489 Berlin. Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum für Informationstechnik Berlin, Takustraße 7, D-14195 Berlin.
Tobias Sontheimer
Affiliation:
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Institute for Silicon Photovoltaics, Kekuléstraße 5, D-12489 Berlin.
Veit Preidel
Affiliation:
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Institute for Silicon Photovoltaics, Kekuléstraße 5, D-12489 Berlin.
Christiane Becker
Affiliation:
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Institute for Silicon Photovoltaics, Kekuléstraße 5, D-12489 Berlin.
Florian Ruske
Affiliation:
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Institute for Silicon Photovoltaics, Kekuléstraße 5, D-12489 Berlin.
Frank Schmidt
Affiliation:
Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum für Informationstechnik Berlin, Takustraße 7, D-14195 Berlin.
Bernd Rech
Affiliation:
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Institute for Silicon Photovoltaics, Kekuléstraße 5, D-12489 Berlin.
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Abstract

Rigorous finite element optical simulations have been used to examine the absorption of light in various crystalline silicon based, nanostructured solar cell architectures. The compared structures can all be produced on glass substrates using a periodically structured dielectric coating and a combination of electron-beam evaporation of silicon and subsequent solid phase crystallization. A required post-treatment by selective etching of non-compact silicon regions results in an absorber material loss. We show that by adequately tailoring the optical design around the processed silicon layer, the absorptance loss due to material removal can be completely overcome. The resulting silicon structure, which is an array of holes with non-vertical sidewalls, shows promising light path enhancement and features an even higher absorptance than the initial nanodome structure of the unetched absorber.

Keywords

absorptionthin filmSi
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1493: Symposium E/H – Photovoltaic Technologies, Devices and Systems Based on Inorganic Materials, Small Organic Molecules and Hybrids , 2013 , pp. 59 - 64
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

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References

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