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Nanoparticles for light management in ultrathin chalcopyrite solar cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 November 2016

Martina Schmid ,
Phillip Manley ,
Andreas Ott ,
Min Song  and
Guanchao Yin
Martina Schmid*
Affiliation:
Nanooptische Konzepte für die PV, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, 14109 Berlin, Germany; and Department of Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Phillip Manley
Affiliation:
Nanooptische Konzepte für die PV, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, 14109 Berlin, Germany
Andreas Ott
Affiliation:
Institut Weiche Materie und Funktionale Materialien, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, 14109 Berlin, Germany
Min Song
Affiliation:
Nanooptische Konzepte für die PV, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, 14109 Berlin, Germany; and Department of Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Guanchao Yin
Affiliation:
Nanooptische Konzepte für die PV, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, 14109 Berlin, Germany
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: martina.schmid@helmholtz-berlin.de
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Abstract

We evaluate the potential of inserting metallic, metal-dielectric core-shell, and fully dielectric nanoparticles in ultrathin chalcopyrite solar cells to enhance absorption which experiences a significant drop for absorber thicknesses below 500 nm. For different integration positions at the front or at the rear of the solar cell structure theoretical expectations and potential benefits originating from light scattering, near-field enhancement and coupling into waveguide modes by the nanoparticles are presented. These benefits are always balanced against experimental challenges arising for particular geometries due to the very specific fabrication processes of chalcopyrite solar cells. In particular high absorber deposition temperatures as well as contact layers that are relatively thick compared to other devices need to be considered. Based on this, we will need to go beyond some geometries that have proven beneficial for other types of solar cells and identify the most promising configurations for chalcopyrite-based devices.

Keywords

ultrathin CIGSe solar cellsCu(In,Ga)Se2nanoparticlesplasmonicsdielectric nanostructuresabsorption enhancementscatteringnear-field enhancement
Type
Invited Feature Paper
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 31 , Issue 21 , 14 November 2016 , pp. 3273 - 3289
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2016 

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Footnotes

Contributing Editor: Winston V. Schoenfeld

This paper has been selected as an Invited Feature Paper.

References

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