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SIMULATION OF PLASMONIC CRYSTAL ENHANCEMENT OF THIN FILM SOLAR CELL ABSORPTION

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Rana Biswas ,
Dayu Zhou  and
Luis Garcia
Rana Biswas
Affiliation:
biswasr@iastate.edu, Iowa State University, ECpE, MRC, Ames, Iowa, United States
Dayu Zhou
Affiliation:
dayu.zhou@gmail.com, Iowa State University, ECpE, MRC, Ames, Iowa, United States
Luis Garcia
Affiliation:
mateng@iastate.edu, Iowa State University, ECpE, MRC, Ames, Iowa, United States
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Abstract

Light management and enhanced photon harvesting is a critical area for improving efficiency of thin film solar cells. Red and near infrared photons with energies just above the band edge have large absorption lengths in amorphous silicon and can not be efficiently collected. We previously demonstrated that a photonic crystal back reflector involving a periodically patterned ZnO layer can enhance absorption of band edge photons. We propose and design alternative new plasmonic crystal structures that enhance absorption in thin film solar cell structures. These plasmonic crystals consist of a periodically patterned metal back reflector with a periodic array of holes An amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon layer resides on top of this plasmonic crystal followed by a standard anti-reflecting coating. We have found plasmonic crystal structures enhance average photon absorption by more than 10%, and by more than a factor of 10 at wavelengths just above the band edge, and should lead to improved cell efficiency. The plasmonic crystal diffracts band edge photons within the absorber layer, increasing their path length and dwell time. In addition there is concentration of light within the plasmonic crystal. Design simulations are performed with rigorous scattering matrix simulations where both polarizations of light are accounted for.

Keywords

thin filmSiamorphous
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1153: Symposium A – Amorphous and Polycrystalline Thin Film Silicon Science and Technology–2009 , 2009 , 1153-A03-02
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2009

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