Scattering of long wavelengths into thin silicon photovoltaic films by plasmonic silver nanoparticles

Abstract

Nanoparticles and nanostructures with plasmonic resonances are currently being employed to enhance the efficiency of solar cells.1-3 Ag stripe arrays have been shown theoretically to enhance the short-circuit current of thin silicon layers. 4 Monolayers of Ag nanoparticles with diameter d < 300 nm have shown strong plasmonic resonances when coated in thin polymer layers with thicknesses < d. 5 We study experimentally the diffuse vs. specular scattering from monolayer arrays of Ag nanoparticles (spheres and prisms with diameters in the range 50 -300 nm) coated onto the front side of thin (100 nm < t < 500 nm) silicon films deposited on glass and flexible polymer substrates, the latter originating in a roll-to-roll manufacturing process. Ag nanoparticles are held in place and aggregation is prevented with a polymer overcoat. We observe interesting wavelength shifts between maxima in specular and diffuse scattering that depend on particle size and shape, indicating that the nanoparticles substantially modify the scattering into the thin silicon film.

Natural Light‐Scattering Nanoparticles Enable Visible through Short‐Wave Infrared Color Modulation

“…Using the versatility of TIDS, we were also able to directly measure both forward ( S f ) and backward ( S b ) scattering light and use these values to extrapolate the specular transmission ( T std ) and reflection ( R std ) within all films (equations in Figure a) . As with T int , we observed a shift in S f dependent on film thickness (Figure ci), where the thicker films exhibited peaks in S f at longer wavelength.…”

Enhanced coupling of broadband light into amorphous silicon via periodic nanoplasmonic arrays

“…Our own previous studies of a-Si-based solar cells have concentrated on improving the efficiency in the red and the near-infrared portions of the spectrum, where the absorption by silicon is weak, though not negligible [19][20][21]. Earlier work on microcrystalline-hydrogenated solar cells that extend useful absorption beyond 1 μm [22][23][24] supports the notion that particular attention should be paid to absorption enhancement at longer wavelengths, up to the silicon bandgap [25].…”