Plasmonic Light-Management Interfaces by Polyol-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles for Industrial Scale Silicon Solar Cells

Abstract

Plasmonic interfaces are used as an alternative and highly effective light management technique for solar cells. Topdown approaches produce well-ordered and carefully designed plasmonic structures for tailor-made light management; however, they are costly, and their fabrication is time-consuming. Thus, their utilization for industrial-scale solar cells is not trivial. It has been shown that dewetting is a cost-and time-effective bottom-up approach for the fabrication of plasmonic interfaces, yet it lacks precise control of the surface coverage for optimum light management. Therefore, new strategies are actively sought. In this work, the spray coating technique is used to deposit plasmonic interfaces with polyol synthesized silver bipyramidal nanocubes onto industrial-scale monocrystalline silicon solar cells. Through a systematic study, the effect of surface coverage on cell performance is investigated, as it is essential to utilize the interface in well-controlled amounts for optimal light management. A relative increase in the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 3.5−6.4% upon creating localized surface plasmon resonance-based plasmonic interfaces is demonstrated.

Optical and electrical characterization of solar cell with nanowires mimicking antireflection coating layers considering axial and radial PN junctions

“…40 The solar cell with silver nano-cylinder or nano-cube pattern achieved a 6% enhancement in efficiency when considering a 170-µm-thick silicon wafer. 62 In our design, it is shown that a three-layer NW can achieve 17.58% PCE, one of the highest values so far reported for such a thin solar cell, with a total height of only 268 nm. This trend is a strong validation of our 2NWs and 3NWs ARC designs based on the results obtained from both optical and electrical simulations.…”

“…A moth eye‐inspired texturing pattern yields a PCE value of only 9.76% when considering a 700‐nm‐thick pattern on top of a 10‐µm‐thick silicon wafer with a back reflector 40 . The solar cell with silver nano‐cylinder or nano‐cube pattern achieved a 6% enhancement in efficiency when considering a 170‐µm‐thick silicon wafer 62 . In our design, it is shown that a three‐layer NW can achieve 17.58% PCE, one of the highest values so far reported for such a thin solar cell, with a total height of only 268 nm.…”

Polyol Synthesis of Nanoparticles: A Decade of Advancements and Insights

“…(i) Versatility: Polyol synthesis of the nanoparticles is renowned for its versatility, primarily attributed to its ability to accommodate a wide range of materials, sizes and shapes [89][90][91]. This method is applicable to diverse nanoparticles, encompassing noble metals, metal oxides and even bimetallic alloys.…”