Advanced light trapping interface for a‐Si:H thin film

Abstract

Surface texturing of transparent conducting oxides and plasmonic interfaces are two important techniques used separately in thin film solar cells to reduce reflection and enhance light‐trapping. In this study, we merge the effects of Al:ZnO surface texturing and Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) plasmonics in a single light‐trapping interface to investigate their combined light trapping efficiency on a‐Si:H thin film. Light scattered by this interface is optimized by placing a thin SiO2 spacer layer between AgNPs and a‐Si:H absorber layer. Our results indicate that the AgNPs embedded in SiO2 significantly enhance absorption at energies close to the band gap of a‐Si:H. Surface texturing by wet etching of Al:ZnO combined with AgNP produces the highest optical extinction of a‐Si:H thin film at the band edge. Furthermore, the measured photocurrent in a‐Si:H shows a clear increase not only at AgNPs resonance wavelength but over the entire wavelength range. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Computational modelling of light-matter interaction in aSi with CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots and metal nanoantenna for solar cell applications

“…Although the defects in the aSi restricted the Fermi energy level, on that account, the aSi is impossible to be doped with p-or n-type semiconductors [15]. Notwithstanding, the defection of the aSi makes it perform better, where the aSi has better optical absorption and a broader range of absorption [15], lightweight and thinner size [6], having minuscule deformation at high temperature [16], better efficiency [17], high resistance to temperature [15], longer wavelength absorption [18][19][20]. However, Saleh and team outlined that the aSiSC generally less than 50% of optical absorption [21].…”

MoO x /Ag/MoO x multilayers as hole transport transparent conductive electrodes for n‐type crystalline silicon solar cells

“…The induced sputtered damage can be partially recovered by performing post sputtering annealing processes which increase the overall fabrication cost. To improve the light in‐coupling to the solar cells, postdeposition nanostructuring or fabrication of plasmonic metal nanoparticles is crucial . DMD multilayers that are deposited at room temperature and thus do not induce thermal damage to the mechanical, electrical, and optical properties of underlying layers can be optimized by changing the material types, layer thicknesses, and refractive indices without the need of post deposition texturing.…”

“…To improve the light in-coupling to the solar cells, postdeposition nanostructuring or fabrication of plasmonic metal nanoparticles is crucial. 10,14,15 DMD multilayers that are deposited at room temperature and thus do not induce thermal damage to the mechanical, electrical, and optical properties of underlying layers can be optimized by changing the material types, layer thicknesses, and refractive indices without the need of post deposition texturing. Therfore, DMDs are considered as promising candidates to replace standard TCEs in solar cells.…”

Aluminum induced texturing of sandy and prism glasses: Combination of micro/nano texture with macro texture

“…Through a proper light trapping scheme, optical path length inside the thin film can be enhanced and thus, an increase in the efficiency or a decrease in thickness of the thin absorber layer can be attained. An efficient light trapping scheme can be achieved with different methods such as usage of back reflector , texturing TCO layer , addition of metal nanoparticles to the structure or texturing glass . Substrates which have already textured transparent conductive oxide layers such as AZO are commercially available and to have textured glass/AZO interface gives the device additional scattering interface.…”