On the size dependence and spatial range for the plasmon effect in photovoltaic efficiency enhancement

On quantum approach to modeling of plasmon photovoltaic effect

“…This coupling appears to be much stronger than coupling of free space irradiation with band electrons [30,36] and the sun-light energy may flow to the substrate semiconductor highly beyond the efficiency of the ordinary photo-effect when is mediated by plasmons. The efficiency gain in plasmon mediated photo-effect reaches even 200 − 300% increase beyond the ordinary photo-effect [30,36].…”

“…This coupling appears to be much stronger than coupling of free space irradiation with band electrons [30,36] and the sun-light energy may flow to the substrate semiconductor highly beyond the efficiency of the ordinary photo-effect when is mediated by plasmons. The efficiency gain in plasmon mediated photo-effect reaches even 200 − 300% increase beyond the ordinary photo-effect [30,36]. It contributes to an overall gain of a solar cell efficiency in much modest way because other process contribute and the plasmon mediated photo-effect is only the initial stage of the series of furthers steps-6 percent eventual increase has been demonstrated in conventional Si-multi-crystalline cell [9].…”

“…5 nm). In the case of large metallic nanospheres it has been proved that the strong size dependence of plasmon energy is governed by irradiation effects (Lorentz friction) [30,[35][36][37].…”

“…The plasmonic-induced efficiency enhancement of the photoeffect is related to the trade-off between two opposite mechanisms [30,36]. An enhancement of the electric field near the metallic nanoparticle due to growing amplitude of the surface plasmon oscillations is proportional to a 3 (a is the metallic nanosphere radius) because all electrons participate in the translational-type oscillations of surface plasmons.…”

“…For local coupling with plasmons in a nanoparticle, the translation invariance is violated and the momentum conservation does not hold in contrary to the ordinary photo-effect being translational invariant. Reducing of the momentum conservation constraint apparently prefers thus the smaller nanoparticle when the larger amount of indirect inter-band transitions contributes [30,36]. The related size-competition gives rise to optimize the size of nanoparticles for photo-voltaic applications.…”