High efficiency ultra-thin silicon photonic crystal based solar cells

Giuseppe Di Martino; Principia Dardano; Vito Mocella; Ivo Rendina

doi:10.1117/12.2018486

6 May 2013 High efficiency ultra-thin silicon photonic crystal based solar cells

Giuseppe Di Martino, Principia Dardano, Vito Mocella, Ivo Rendina

Proceedings Volume 8771, Metamaterials VIII; 87711C (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2018486
Event: SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics, 2013, Prague, Czech Republic

Abstract

In this work, we present a comparative theoretical study about the optical absorption coefficient calculated in ordered nanopillar and nanohole photonic crystal silicon structures for solar energy applications. In particular, we investigate the ultimate efficiency at normal incidence condition of such structures for several fill factors and lattice constants. We find that, except for small ranges of frequency where an inversion of tendency is observed, the total absorption coefficient in nanopillar arrays is greater than the one calculated in nanohole arrays. Moreover, optimized silicon nanopillar arrays show percentage improvements of the ultimate efficiency up to 138% with respect to the case of a silicon thin film of equivalent thickness. Finally, we report preliminary experimental results about the realization of a silicon photonic crystal with a nanopillar array structure to be exploited as an optical trapping film in solar cells.

Citation Download Citation

Giuseppe Di Martino, Principia Dardano, Vito Mocella, and Ivo Rendina "High efficiency ultra-thin silicon photonic crystal based solar cells", Proc. SPIE 8771, Metamaterials VIII, 87711C (6 May 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2018486

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