Nanoscale tailored plasmonic material for optimum broadband solar harvesting

Dominic Zerulla; Éadaoin McClean-Ilten

doi:10.1117/12.2237869

17 September 2016 Nanoscale tailored plasmonic material for optimum broadband solar harvesting

Dominic Zerulla, Éadaoin McClean-Ilten

Proceedings Volume 9921, Plasmonics: Design, Materials, Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications XIV; 99211Z (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2237869
Event: SPIE Nanoscience + Engineering, 2016, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Is it possible to design a dedicated nanostructure on which all surface features contribute entirely to energy harvesting within a solar cell? This is an important challenge in the light that the efficiency of the solar cell technology utilised has a direct impact on the required land-use and also on reaching grid parity. Here, we take a unique approach and present an analytically derived optimum solution to the problem: a nanoscale metal topography, capable of significantly improving the efficiency of solid state solar cells via excitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). The presented structure is designed to achieve broadband excitation of SPPs through the highest possible density of desired k-vectors at the interface. This leads to high weighted absorption enhancements (>130%) and unprecedented improvements (>30%) of solar cell external quantum efficiencies over the entire harvestable range.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Dominic Zerulla and Éadaoin McClean-Ilten "Nanoscale tailored plasmonic material for optimum broadband solar harvesting", Proc. SPIE 9921, Plasmonics: Design, Materials, Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications XIV, 99211Z (17 September 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2237869

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