Enhanced photocurrent in thin-film amorphous silicon solar cells via shape controlled three-dimensional nanostructures

Abstract

In this paper, we have explored manufacturable approaches to sub-wavelength controlled three-dimensional (3D) nano-patterns with the goal of significantly enhancing the photocurrent in amorphous silicon solar cells. Here we demonstrate efficiency enhancement of about 50% over typical flat a-Si thin-film solar cells, and report an enhancement of 20% in optical absorption over Asahi textured glass by fabricating sub-wavelength nano-patterned a-Si on glass substrates. External quantum efficiency showed superior results for the 3D nano-patterned thin-film solar cells due to enhancement of broadband optical absorption. The results further indicate that this enhanced light trapping is achieved with minimal parasitic absorption losses in the deposited transparent conductive oxide for the nano-patterned substrate thin-film amorphous silicon solar cell configuration. Optical simulations are in good agreement with experimental results, and also show a significant enhancement in optical absorption, quantum efficiency and photocurrent.

Analysis of optical absorption and quantum efficiency due to light trapping in a n–i–p type amorphous silicon solar cell with textured back reflector

“…There are significant differences in the approaches in Ref. to that of ours. The rigorous coupled wave analysis used in Ref.…”

“…Such a parasitic absorption has been under intense investigation by several research groups, one of them is Ref. , however, our simplified investigation indicates the critical role played by the parasitic absorptions. There are significant differences in the approaches in Ref.…”

“…The rigorous coupled wave analysis used in Ref. was successful because of nanometric periodic nature of the surface structures, however in our case the structures are of micrometer size, with distributed sizes and non‐periodic. Thus we adopted to the classical ray optics in our analysis.…”

“…These findings draws a significant interest on light trapping in amorphous silicon solar cells, as thinner cell is preferred from commercial point of view, however thin cell structure may lead to loss of light due to insufficient absorption in a single pass across the cell. Thus, the light trapping scheme has become a popular technique .…”

CAD/CAM for scalable nanomanufacturing: A network-based system for hybrid 3D printing

“…Ok et al 36 applied photolithography techniques to roll-to-roll nanoimprint lithography, and created continuous and scalable pattering. Hilali et al 37 presented the scalable patterning of a 3D pyramid pattern using jet- and flash-imprint lithography 37 . Martìnez-Galera et al 38 controlled graphene’s electronic and optical properties by applying both bottom–up and top–down approaches.…”