Improved light absorption in thin-film silicon solar cells by integration of silver nanoparticles

Moulin, Etienne; Sukmanowski, J.; Luo, Pei; Carius, R.; Royer, F.; Stiebig, Helmut

doi:10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2007.09.031

Cited by 83 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…6,7 In the case of silicon photovoltaics, metal nanoparticles offer the prospect of increasing device efficiency by reducing surface reflectance 8 and/or increasing light-trapping within thin-film devices. 9,10 However, metal nanoparticles can also decrease the efficiency of solar cells, for example due to absorption of light within the nanoparticle 11 or by increasing reflectance of the front surface due to back-scattering. 12,13 Therefore, it is imperative that metal nanoparticles are suitably designed to provide the correct optical properties for a given application.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Optical properties of gold and aluminium nanoparticles for silicon solar cell applications

Temple¹,

Bagnall²

2011

Journal of Applied Physics

135

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The optical properties of metal nanoparticles are explored as a function of lateral size, shape, aspect-ratio and metal type. Simulations based on the discrete dipole approximation are compared with experimental measurements of arrays of metal nanoparticles fabricated by electron-beam lithography. Careful selection of experimental parameters ensures minimization of far-field and near-field coupling, and inhomogeneous broadening, thus allowing comparison with single particle simulations. The optical properties of Au nanoparticles are compared with similar Al nanoparticles for each particle type. For solar cell light-trapping applications, we require metal nanoparticles that exhibit extinction peaks near the band-edge region of the absorbing material, as well as low absorption and large optical cross-sections. Al nanoparticles are shown to be of interest for amorphous silicon solar cells, but their applications for polycrystalline solar cells is limited by the presence of an interband region in the near-infrared. The opposite is found for Au nanoparticles, which feature an interband threshold region in the visible that makes their optical properties unsuitable for amorphous silicon but very suitable for crystalline and polycrystalline silicon solar cells.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[9][10][11] These metals and nanoparticle geometries represent only a small sub-section of the available parameter space, and further optimization of the nanoparticle size, shape, and metal is likely to result in significant enhancement of photovoltaic devices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optical properties of gold and aluminium nanoparticles for silicon solar cell applications

Temple¹,

Bagnall²

2011

Journal of Applied Physics

135

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“…The scattering properties of large NPs (with diameter Ø > 40 nm) [9][10][11] have often been used to increase the optical path length within solar cells and consequently enhance the short-circuit photocurrent density. [12][13][14][15][16][17] Plasmonic resonances in smaller metal NPs (Ø < 40 nm) lead to a particularly strong enhancement of the electric field intensity in the NPs and in their direct vicinity. The increased light absorption induced by this enhanced local electric field has also been shown to play a beneficial role in photoactive device applications.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasmon-induced photoexcitation of “hot” electrons and “hot” holes in amorphous silicon photosensitive devices containing silver nanoparticles

Moulin

Paetzold

Pieters

et al. 2013

Journal of Applied Physics

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Plasmon-induced photoexcitation of "hot" electrons and "hot" holes in amorphous silicon photosensitive devices containing silver nanoparticles We report on a plasmon-induced photocurrent in photosensitive devices based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) containing silver nanoparticles (NPs). The photocurrent is measured in a spectral region corresponding to optical transitions below the band gap of a-Si:H. Photoexcitation of "hot" electrons in the NPs or in defect states present in the vicinity of the NPs, resulting from plasmon decay in the NPs, is often cited as being responsible for this effect. In this study, we demonstrate that plasmon induced photogeneration of "hot" holes is also able to contribute to a photocurrent. A bifacial symmetrical transparent device was prepared in order to compare the internal quantum efficiency of both processes, the first based on the photogeneration of "hot" electrons and the second based on the photogeneration of "hot" holes.

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“…Single-layer antireflection coating only has good anti-reflection effect for a single wavelength, so multi-layer antireflection coating is commonly used in high efficiency solar cells, for it has good anti-reflection effect within the wide spectrum of solar radiation. Third, surface plasmons offer a novel way of light trapping by using metal nanoparticles to enhance absorption or light extraction in thin film solar cell structures [Derkacs et al, 2006;Catchpole et al, 2008;Moulin et al,2008;Nkayama et al,2008;Losurdo et al,2009;]. By manipulating their size, the particles can be used as an efficient scattering layer.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Light Trapping Design in Silicon-Based Solar Cells

Chen¹,

Wang²

2011

Solar Cells - Silicon Wafer-Based Technologies

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Improved light absorption in thin-film silicon solar cells by integration of silver nanoparticles

Cited by 83 publications

References 15 publications

Optical properties of gold and aluminium nanoparticles for silicon solar cell applications

Optical properties of gold and aluminium nanoparticles for silicon solar cell applications

Plasmon-induced photoexcitation of “hot” electrons and “hot” holes in amorphous silicon photosensitive devices containing silver nanoparticles

Light Trapping Design in Silicon-Based Solar Cells

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