The Light-Trapping Character of Pit Arrays on the Surface of Solar Cells

Abstract

Surfaces with light-trapping structures are widely used in solar cells to enhance light capturing and to transform efficiency. The study of light-trapping character is important for light-trapping structures in solar cells. In the present study, the light-trapping character for the regular hemisphere pit arrays (RHPAs) in solar cells was intensively investigated in terms of reducing light reflection, suppressing light escape, and increasing the length of the optical path. Results show that the RHPAs can decrease surface reflectivity by ~54% compared with the plane structure, and can reflect ~33% of the light that has not been absorbed back into the absorption layer of the solar cell. The total optical path of the cell with the RHPAs structure remarkably increased from 2ω to 4ω. To verify the theoretical research conclusions, we produced the glass structure samples with different aspect ratios by using micro/nanometer-processing technology. The reflection ratios for silicon wafers covered by plane and RHPAs glass samples were tested. The test results were compared with the theoretical calculation results, which showed consistency.

Optimization design of surface optical characteristics of space solar cells based on transfer matrix method

“…Another way is to prepare a special surface optical structure on the surface of the PV cell so that more useful wavelengths of light are refracted into the PV cell and absorbed. [23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] Fateme H. 23) used an evaporation-induced self-assembly method to prepare a three-layer mesoporous silica coating with an average transmittance of 96% in the wavelength range of 400-800 nm. Baohua Zhu et al 24) processed the regular hemisphere pit arrays (RHPA) on the surface of the quartz glass of the solar cell using micro-nano processing.…”

“…[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] Fateme H. 23) used an evaporation-induced self-assembly method to prepare a three-layer mesoporous silica coating with an average transmittance of 96% in the wavelength range of 400-800 nm. Baohua Zhu et al 24) processed the regular hemisphere pit arrays (RHPA) on the surface of the quartz glass of the solar cell using micro-nano processing. The RHPA had a period of approximately 20 μm and an aspect ratio of about 0.5.…”

Redirecting Incident Light with Mie Resonance-Based Coatings

“…Coatings made of compact dielectric particles also exhibit antireflective properties, but can change the direction of incident EM radiation. By directing a part of the scattered EM radiation along the substrate surface layers, they allow the use of thinner functionally active surface layers to achieve the same level of incident radiation absorption as thick layers [9][10][11][12]. The change in the propagation direction of scattered radiation occurs due to the action of several factors.…”