Photonics and plasmonics applied to solar cells

Stephen J. Fonash; Wook Jun Nam; Liming Ji; Vasundara V. Varadan

doi:10.1117/12.928052

11 October 2012 Photonics and plasmonics applied to solar cells

Stephen J. Fonash, Wook Jun Nam, Liming Ji, Vasundara V. Varadan

Proceedings Volume 8482, Photonic Innovations and Solutions for Complex Environments and Systems (PISCES); 848204 (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.928052
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2012, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The use of non-metallic, nano-element arrays for light trapping in substrate a-Si:H single junction solar cell structures is found to dramatically increase power conversion efficiency. This enhancement is consistent with significant light diffraction from the array into plasmon-polariton modes, photonic modes, or both. However, modeling shows that photonic effects dominate in substrate structures and that the light and carrier collection advantages of such arrays can result in short circuit current densities of 17.3 mA/cm2 for nominally 200nm a-Si:H substrate cells, giving a 56% increase in efficiency over planar 200nm controls while keeping photocarriers within 224nm from a collecting electrode.

Citation Download Citation

Stephen J. Fonash, Wook Jun Nam, Liming Ji, and Vasundara V. Varadan "Photonics and plasmonics applied to solar cells", Proc. SPIE 8482, Photonic Innovations and Solutions for Complex Environments and Systems (PISCES), 848204 (11 October 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.928052

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