Photocurrent improvement of an ultra-thin silicon solar cell using the localized surface plasmonic effect of clustering nanoparticles

Abstract

The cluster-shaped plasmonic nanostructures are used to manage the incident light inside an ultra-thin silicon solar cell. Here we simulate spherical, conical, pyramidal, and cylindrical nanoparticles in a form of a cluster at the rear side of a thin silicon cell, using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. By calculating the optical absorption and hence the photocurrent, it is shown that the clustering of nanoparticles significantly improves them. The photocurrent enhancement is the result of the plasmonic effects of clustering the nanoparticles. For comparison, first a cell with a single nanoparticle at the rear side is evaluated. Then four smaller nanoparticles are put around it to make a cluster. The photocurrents of 20.478 mA/cm2, 23.186 mA/cm2, 21.427 mA/cm2, and 21.243 mA/cm2 are obtained for the cells using clustering conical, spherical, pyramidal, cylindrical NPs at the backside, respectively. These values are 13.987 mA/cm2, 16.901 mA/cm2, 16.507 mA/cm2, 17.926 mA/cm2 for the cell with one conical, spherical, pyramidal, cylindrical NPs at the backside, respectively. Therefore, clustering can significantly improve the photocurrents. Finally, the distribution of the electric field and the generation rate for the proposed structures are calculated.

Enhancement of plasmonic photovoltaics with pyramidal nanoparticles

“…Thus, optimizing these parameters allows the engineering of the spectral response for the sake of maximizing the efficiency of the plasmonic PV. Due to promises of the plasmonic PVs, many studies have been recently conducted in literature using NPs with different geometrical shapes, such as spheres [6,7], pyramids [8], crescent [9], rods [10], gear [11,12], cones [8,13], and cylinders [8,13].…”

“…In [6], paired embedded spherical NPs are used for better absorption and more generation of photo-current in silicon photovoltaic compared to the case of using a single NPs. While in [8], clustering NPs is used as a technique for improving the optical absorption and the photo-current generation of silicon PV. The studied NPs were cylindrical, pyramidal, conical, and spherical NPs at the rear side of the PV.…”

Highly sensitive refractive index sensor by floating nano-particles in the solution for the detection of glucose/fructose concentration

“…These non-propagation excitations are produced from the scattering of the oscillating electromagnetic waves by a small conductive nanoparticle in the sub-wavelength band. The realization of the oscillation condition depends on, shape, size, the material of metal nanoparticle, and distance between them and the surrounding environment [10][11][12][13][14]. In the past decades, a variety of biosensors have been developed that incorporate plasmonic nanoparticles [15,16].…”

Highly sensitive refractive index sensor by floating nano-particles in the solution for the detection of glucose/fructose concentration

“…Plasmonic nanostructures able to control light in space smaller than the diffraction limit, have a widespread application in waveguides, detectors [1][2][3], solar cells [4][5][6][7][8], and lasers [9]. Based on the precise permeability function of metals, their optical properties are inherently dependent on the fluctuating behavior of electrons in the metal.…”

“…These non-propagation excitations are produced from the scattering of the oscillating electromagnetic waves by a small conductive nanoparticle in the sub-wavelength band. The realization of the oscillation condition depends on, shape, size, the material of metal nanoparticle, and distance between them and the surrounding environment [10][11][12][13][14]. In the past decades, a variety of biosensors have been developed that incorporate plasmonic nanoparticles [15,16].…”