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Ce-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:Ce) thin films as luminescent down shifting (LDS) materials are introduced into the module of crystalline silicon solar cells. The films are deposited by RF magnetron sputtering on the lower surface of the quartz glass. They convert ultraviolet and blue light into yellow light. Experiments show that the introduction of YAG:Ce films improves the conversion efficiency from 18.45% of the cells to 19.27% of the module. The increasing efficiency is attributed to LDS effect of YAG:Ce films and the reduced reflection of short wavelength photons. Two intentionally selected samples with similar reflectivities are used to evaluate roughly the effect of LDS alone on the solar cells, which leads to a relative increase by 2.68% in the conversion efficiency.

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The figure of merit (FOM) of plasmon lattice resonance (PLR) sensors based on the array of metal/Si/SiO2 nanoparticles has been investigated. We demonstrate the shape and material of metal nanoparticles have remarkable effects on the PLR and FOM. FOM is governed by full-widths at half maximum (FWHM) and sensitivity of the PLR. Three different types of PLR can be generated by changing Ag nanoparticles′ shapes (pillars, cubes, spheres). One (named PLR1) is mainly origined from Mie resonance of individual Si nanopillars and diffraction waves. PLR1 of Ag/Si/SiO2 nanoparticle arrays is limited in sensing applications due to lower intensity (for Ag pillars and Ag cubes), or smaller FOM (for Ag spheres). The other two are named PLR2. PLR2 of Ag/Si/SiO2 nanoparticle array with Ag pillars (or Ag cubes) is mainly origined from the quadrupole resonance of individual Ag nanopillars (or Ag cubes) and diffraction waves. While PLR2 of Ag/Si/SiO2 nanoparticle array with Ag spheres is mainly origined from the dipole resonance of individual Ag nanospheres and diffraction waves. The optimal Ag nanoparticles′ shape in FOM is pillar due to the smallest FWHM of PLR2 of Ag/Si/SiO2 nanoparticle array with Ag pillars. Meanwhile, a comparison of FOM between Au, Ag and Al nanopillars of fixed size is made. The optimal material of metal nanopillars to obtain a high FOM is Ag due to higher sensitivity and narrower FWHM.

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