Solar metadevice with enhanced absorption, scattering, and spectral control

Osgood, R. M.; Ait-El-Aoud, Yassine; Parameswaran, Lalitha; Liberman, Vladimir; Rothschild, M.; Luce, Andrew; LeGrand, Nicholas; Okamoto, Michael; Kooi, Steven E.; Kingsborough, Richard P.; Giardini, Stephen

doi:10.1117/12.2273748

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…This behavior is indicative of grating-coupled surface plasmon-polariton modes that have been extensively studied previously, [26,27,37]. In fact, experimental infrared enhancement of solar cells has recently been reported [21]. These surface modes propagate long distances and therefore can contribute significantly to total absorption, even though the intrinsic absorption coefficient of a-Si at those wavelengths is relatively low.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 62%

“…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].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 84%

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

et al. 2018

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Achieving enhanced coupling of solar radiation over the full range of the silicon absorption spectrum up to the bandgap is essential for increased efficiency of solar cells, especially thin film versions. While many designs for enhancing trapping of radiation have been explored, detailed measurements of light scattering inside silicon cells is still lacking. Here, we demonstrate experimentally and computationally that plasmonic-assisted localized and traveling modes can efficiently couple red and infrared radiation into ultrathin amorphous silicon (a-Si) layers. Utilizing patterned periodic arrays of aluminum nanostructures on thin a-Si, we perform specular and diffuse reflectivity and transmission measurements over a broad spectrum. Based on these results, we are able to separate parasitic absorption in aluminum plasmonic arrays from enhanced light absorption in the 200 nm thick amorphous silicon layer, as compared to a blank silicon layer. We discover a very efficient near-infrared a-Si absorption mechanism that occurs at the transition from the radiative to evanescent diffractive coupling, analogous to earlier surface-enhanced infrared studies. These results represent a direct demonstration of enhanced radiation coupling into silicon due to large angle scattering and show a path forward to improved ultrathin solar cell efficiency.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 62%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 84%

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

et al. 2018

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Fabry-Perot interference pattern scattered by a sub-monolayer array of nanoparticles

Osgood

Ait-El-Aoud

Bullion³

et al. 2022

Mater. Res. Express

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Understanding scattering of visible and infrared photons from nanomaterials and nanostructured materials is increasingly important for imaging, thermal management, and detection, and has implications for other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum (e.g., x-ray scattering and radar). New, interesting reports of photon scattering as a diagnostic probe, from inelastic x-ray scattering and interference to “nano-FTIR” microscopy using infrared photons, have been published and are under active investigation in laboratories around the world. Here, we report, for the first time to our best knowledge, the experimental discovery of a Fabry-Perot interference pattern that is scattered by the sub-monolayer array of plasmonic Ag nanoparticles, and confirm it analytically and with rigorous numerical FDTD simulations.

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Solar metadevice with enhanced absorption, scattering, and spectral control

Cited by 2 publications

References 4 publications

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

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

Fabry-Perot interference pattern scattered by a sub-monolayer array of nanoparticles

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