Substrate and DLARC Layers Selection for High Efficiency Solar Cell

Abstract

Optical losses are one of the important parameters that affect the efficiency of solar cell. Various light-trapping techniques are used to reduce the optical losses, especially reflectivity loss. Antireflective coating (ARC) is used to reduce the reflectivity losses in the solar cell. In this paper, we have analyzed the reflectivity of double layer ARC (DLARC) in the solar cell using transfer matrix method. The reflectivity of various combinations of DLARC materials with a suitable substrate material is analyzed in the visible and near IR region. It is found that ZnS/Ge DLARC on Si substrate solar cell provides minimum reflectance in the range of wavelength 550–950[Formula: see text]nm. It is also found that zero reflectance occurs at 550[Formula: see text]nm. This minimum reflectance also depends on the angle of incidence. Here it is continuously maintained up to the angle of incidence from 0[Formula: see text] to 20[Formula: see text]. From these investigations, it is concluded that ZnS/Ge DLARC is one of the suitable DLARCs on Si substrate in 550–950[Formula: see text]nm range of wavelength.