Robust Nanoscale Patterns for Thin Film Solar Cells Using Inverse Optimization of Nonuniformly Sampled Absorption Spectrum

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shima Hajimirza ◽  
John R. Howell
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Optimization Techniques ◽  
Photon Absorption ◽  
Absorption Enhancement ◽  
Geometrical Parameters ◽  
Sensitivity Assessment

This paper outlines several techniques for systematic and efficient optimization as well as sensitivity assessment to fabrication tolerances of surface texturing patterns in thin film amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cells. The aim is to achieve maximum absorption enhancement. We report the joint optimization of several geometrical parameters of a three dimensional lattice of periodic square silver nanoparticles, and an absorbing thin layer of a-Si, using constraint optimization tools and numerical FDTD simulations. Global and local optimization methods, such as the Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno Quasi-Newton (BFGS-QN) and Simulated Annealing (SA) are employed concurrently for solving the inverse near field radiation problem. The design of the silver patterned solar panel is optimized to yield maximum average enhancement in photon absorption over the solar spectrum. The optimization techniques are expedited and improved by using a novel nonuniform adaptive spectral sampling technique. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the optimally designed parameters of the solar structure is analyzed by postulating a probabilistic model for the errors introduced in the fabrication process. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and Unscented Transform (UT) techniques are used for this purpose.

scholarly journals Advancing colloidal quantum dot photovoltaic technology

Nanophotonics ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Cheng ◽  
Ebuka S. Arinze ◽  
Nathan Palmquist ◽  
Susanna M. Thon
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Nanoparticle Synthesis ◽  
Photon Absorption ◽  
Absorption Enhancement ◽  
Photovoltaic Technology ◽  
Carrier Extraction ◽  
Conversion Efficiencies

Abstract Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are attractive materials for solar cells due to their low cost, ease of fabrication and spectral tunability. Progress in CQD photovoltaic technology over the past decade has resulted in power conversion efficiencies approaching 10%. In this review, we give an overview of this progress, and discuss limiting mechanisms and paths for future improvement in CQD solar cell technology.We briefly summarize nanoparticle synthesis and film processing methods and evaluate the optoelectronic properties of CQD films, including the crucial role that surface ligands play in materials performance. We give an overview of device architecture engineering in CQD solar cells. The compromise between carrier extraction and photon absorption in CQD photovoltaics is analyzed along with different strategies for overcoming this trade-off. We then focus on recent advances in absorption enhancement through innovative device design and the use of nanophotonics. Several light-trapping schemes, which have resulted in large increases in cell photocurrent, are described in detail. In particular, integrating plasmonic elements into CQD devices has emerged as a promising approach to enhance photon absorption through both near-field coupling and far-field scattering effects. We also discuss strategies for overcoming the single junction efficiency limits in CQD solar cells, including tandem architectures, multiple exciton generation and hybrid materials schemes. Finally, we offer a perspective on future directions for the field and the most promising paths for achieving higher device efficiencies.

Absorption Enhancement in Plasmonic Solar Cells by Incorporation of Periodic Nanopatterns

2011 ◽  
Vol 1322 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Wang ◽  
S. Wu ◽  
Y.L. Lu ◽  
Kitt Reinhardt ◽  
S.C. Chen
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Light Absorption ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Absorption Enhancement ◽  
Enhancement Effect ◽  
Broadband Absorption ◽  
Polarization Insensitive ◽  
Plasmonic Solar Cells

ABSTRACTCurrently, the performances of thin film solar cells are limited by poor light absorption and carrier collection. In this research, large, broadband, and polarization-insensitive light absorption enhancement was realized via incorporation of different periodic nanopetterns. By studying the enhancement effect brought by different materials, dimensions, coverage, and dielectric environments of the metal nanopatterns, we analyzed the absorption enhancement mechanisms as well as optimization criteria for our designs. A test for totaling the absorption over the solar spectrum shows an up to ∼30% broadband absorption enhancement when comparing to conventional thin film cells.

scholarly journals Plasmonic Nanostructure for Enhanced Light Absorption in Ultrathin Silicon Solar Cells

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinna He ◽  
Chunzhen Fan ◽  
Junqiao Wang ◽  
Yongguang Cheng ◽  
Pei Ding ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Surface Plasmon ◽  
Light Absorption ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Absorption Enhancement ◽  
Plasmonic Nanostructures ◽  
Cell Design

The performances of thin film solar cells are considerably limited by the low light absorption. Plasmonic nanostructures have been introduced in the thin film solar cells as a possible solution around this issue in recent years. Here, we propose a solar cell design, in which an ultrathin Si film covered by a periodic array of Ag strips is placed on a metallic nanograting substrate. The simulation results demonstrate that the designed structure gives rise to 170% light absorption enhancement over the full solar spectrum with respect to the bared Si thin film. The excited multiple resonant modes, including optical waveguide modes within the Si layer, localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of Ag stripes, and surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) arising from the bottom grating, and the coupling effect between LSPR and SPP modes through an optimization of the array periods are considered to contribute to the significant absorption enhancement. This plasmonic solar cell design paves a promising way to increase light absorption for thin film solar cell applications.

Broadband Absorption Enhancement in Thin Film Solar Cells Using Inverse Optimization of Light Trapping Mechanisms

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shima Hajimirza ◽  
Alex Heltzel ◽  
John Howell
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Absorption Spectrum ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Indium Tin Oxide ◽  
Rear Surface ◽  
Front Surface ◽  
Optimization Techniques ◽  
Absorption Enhancement ◽  
Back Surface ◽  
Metallic Gratings

In this paper, global optimization techniques are used to design broadband solar absorption enhancement in thin film amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cells, using periodic nanostructures on the top and bottom surfaces of the cell. Considering a combination of silver rectangular gratings and indium tin oxide (ITO) coatings on both surfaces of the a-Si, numerical optimization techniques such as Simulated Annealing and a local constrained Quasi-Newton algorithm are used to optimize the surface texture patterns. Numerical results indicate that, unlike the case of metallic gratings on the front surface, a periodic silver grating structure on the back surface results in a modification of the absorption spectrum largely independent of the effect of anti-reflection ITO coatings on the front of the cell. Furthermore, additional improvement can be obtained by using a thin rear surface ITO layers. Therefore, using a combination of metallic gratings and ITO coatings on both sides, a wideband absorption spectrum enhancement is achievable. Simulations predict integrated enhancement factors as high as 2.0 (100% improvement) for the case of metallic grating on the back surface and ITO layers on the front, and as high as 2.2 (120% improvement) when a combination of grating and ITO coatings on both sides is used. Such noteworthy improvements are made possible by efficient multi-parameter optimization supplanting an intractable exhaustive search.

scholarly journals Growth and Properties of ZnO:Al on Textured Glass for Thin Film Solar Cells

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Lluscà ◽  
Aldrin Antony ◽  
Joan Bertomeu
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Photon Absorption ◽  
Absorption Enhancement ◽  
Deposition Method ◽  
Solar Cell Device ◽  
Glass Substrates ◽  
Sharp Edges ◽  
Different Thickness

Aluminium induced texturing (AIT) method has been used to texture glass substrates in order to enhance the photon absorption in thin film solar cells. The resultant glass roughness has been analyzed by varying the AIT process parameters and it has been found that the deposition method of Al is a decisive factor in tuning the texture. Two types of textures, a soft (texture E) and a rough texture (texture S), were achieved from the thermally evaporated and sputtered Al layers through AIT process. Aluminium-doped zinc oxide (AZO) layers of different thickness were deposited over both textures and over smooth glass. Haze values above 30% were obtained for texture S + AZO and above 10% for texture E + AZO. The resultant morphologies were free from sharp edges or deep valleys and the transparency and the resistivity values were also good enough to be used as front contact for thin film solar cells. In order to demonstrate the light absorption enhancement in a solar cell device, 200 nm of a-Si:H followed by 300 nm of Ag were grown over the textured and smooth substrates with AZO, and an optical absorption enhancement of 35% for texture E and 53% for texture S was obtained in comparison to the smooth substrate.

Broadband Absorption Enhancement in μc-Si:H Thin-Film Solar Cells Based on Silver Nanoparticle Arrays

NANO ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (03) ◽  
pp. 1750029 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shie Yang ◽  
Ping Liu ◽  
Dong Ding ◽  
Qiaoneng Guo ◽  
Yongsheng Chen
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Indium Tin Oxide ◽  
Cell Structure ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Absorption Enhancement ◽  
Geometrical Parameters ◽  
Nanoparticle Arrays ◽  
Ag Nanoparticle ◽  
Broadband Absorption

The thin-film solar cell structure with a broadband absorption enhancement is reported. We designed spherical silver (Ag) nanoparticle arrays on or embedded partially into indium tin oxide (ITO) layer of the hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon ([Formula: see text]c-Si:H) thin-film solar cells. The geometrical parameters, such as nanoparticle radius ([Formula: see text], array period ([Formula: see text] and ITO layer thickness ([Formula: see text] are optimized by using the finite element method (FEM). The numerical results show that the key parameter that influences the integrated absorption is period/radius ratio ([Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] for Ag nanoparticle arrays. Embedding nanoparticle arrays partially into ITO layer with the appropriate thickness can improve broadband light-trapping. The optimized structure shows 50.1% enhancement in the integrated absorption compared to the reference cell when [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]nm, [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]nm and [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]nm. Furthermore, physical mechanisms of absorption enhancement in different wavelength range are discussed according to the electrical field amplitude distributions in the solar cells.

The optical near-field of randomly textured light trapping structures for thin-film solar cells

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Beckers ◽  
K. Bittkau ◽  
C. Rockstuhl ◽  
S. Fahr ◽  
F. Lederer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells

scholarly journals Absorption enhancement in thin film solar cells with bilayer silver nanoparticle arrays

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 055032 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuyuan Zhang ◽  
Min Liu ◽  
Wen Liu ◽  
Yusheng Liu ◽  
Zhaofeng Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Silver Nanoparticle ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Absorption Enhancement ◽  
Nanoparticle Arrays
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