Influence of film formation on light-trapping properties of randomly textured silicon thin-film solar cells

Jovanov, Vladislav; Shrestha, Shailesh; Hüpkes, J.; Ermes, Markus; Bittkau, Karsten; Knipp, Dietmar

doi:10.7567/apex.7.082301

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…In general, it can be concluded that the optimal period increases with increasing thickness of the silicon thin film solar cell27. In order to provide a more detailed simulation of the light trapping 2D scans of the substrates and the interfaces of the solar cell have to be measured by AFM or calculated by tools modeling the film growth28293031. However, such calculations are computationally intensive.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analyzing periodic and random textured silicon thin film solar cells by Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis

Dewan

Jovanov

Hamraz

et al. 2014

Sci Rep

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A simple and fast method was developed to determine the quantum efficiency and short circuit current of thin-film silicon solar cells prepared on periodically or randomly textured surfaces. The optics was studied for microcrystalline thin-film silicon solar cells with integrated periodic and random surface textures. Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA) was used to investigate the behaviour of the solar cells. The analysis of the periodic and random textured substrates allows for deriving optimal surface textures. Furthermore, light trapping in periodic and randomly textured substrates will be compared.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analyzing periodic and random textured silicon thin film solar cells by Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis

Dewan

Jovanov

Hamraz

et al. 2014

Sci Rep

Self Cite

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“…A physically more precise description of the optics in randomly textured thin film solar cells can only be achieved by using rigorous simulation of the optical wave propagation [19][20][21][22]. Surface scans of the randomly textured solar cells have been used as input data in modeling such as large and randomly textured nanostructures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Random versus periodic: Determining light trapping of randomly textured thin film solar cells by the superposition of periodic surface textures

Dewan

Shrestha

Jovanov

et al. 2015

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

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“…We include realistic properties (complex refractive indexes) of all layers and thin sublayers, we consider realistic morphologies of not only the initial texture introduced by the substrate surface but of the internal interfaces, employing a model of non-conformal layer growth [27] in our analysis. The importance of including non-conformal layer growth in optical simulations has also been indicated by other groups [28][29][30]. In this paper, we have combined two different modelling approaches: rigorous modelling based on the finite element method (FEM) and a geometrical optics approach.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design of periodic nano- and macro-scale textures for high-performance thin-film multi-junction solar cells

Krč

Sever

Kovačič

et al. 2016

J. Opt.

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Surface textures in thin-film silicon multi-junction solar cells play an important role in gaining the photocurrent of the devices. In this paper, a design of the textures is carried out for the case of amorphous silicon/micro-crystalline silicon (a-Si:H/μc-Si:H) solar cells, employing advanced modelling to determine the textures for defect-free silicon layer growth and to increase the photocurrent. A model of non-conformal layer growth and a hybrid optical modelling approach are used to perform realistic 3D simulations of the structures. The hybrid optical modelling includes rigorous modelling based on the finite element method and geometrical optics models. This enables us to examine the surface texture scaling from nano- to macro-sized (several tens or hundreds of micrometers) texturisation features. First, selected random and periodic nanotextures are examined with respect to critical positions of defect-region formation in Si layers. We show that despite careful selection of a well-suited semi-ellipsoidal periodic texture for defect-free layer growth, defective regions in Si layers of a-Si:H/μc-Si:H cell cannot be avoided if the lateral and vertical dimensions of the nano features are optimised only for high gain in photocurrent. Macro features are favourable for defect-free layer growth, but do not render the photocurrent gains as achieved with light-scattering properties of the optimised nanotextures. Simulation results show that from the optical point of view the semi-ellipsoidal periodic nanotextures with lateral features smaller than 0.4 μm and vertical peak-to-peak heights around or above 0.3 μm are required to achieve a gain in short-circuit current of the top cell with respect to the state-of-the-art random texture (>16% increase), whereas lateral dimensions around 0.8 μm and heights around 0.6 μm lead to a >6% gain in short-circuit current of the bottom cell.

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Influence of film formation on light-trapping properties of randomly textured silicon thin-film solar cells

Cited by 7 publications

References 20 publications

Analyzing periodic and random textured silicon thin film solar cells by Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis

Analyzing periodic and random textured silicon thin film solar cells by Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis

Random versus periodic: Determining light trapping of randomly textured thin film solar cells by the superposition of periodic surface textures

Design of periodic nano- and macro-scale textures for high-performance thin-film multi-junction solar cells

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