Improved red-response in thin film a-Si:H solar cells with soft-imprinted plasmonic back reflectors

Vivian E. Ferry; Marc A. Verschuuren; Hongbo B T Li; Ruud E I Schropp; Harry A. Atwater; Albert Polman

doi:10.1063/1.3256187

Improved red-response in thin film a-Si:H solar cells with soft-imprinted plasmonic back reflectors

Vivian E. Ferry
, Marc A. Verschuuren
, Hongbo B T Li
, Ruud E I Schropp
, Harry A. Atwater
, Albert Polman

Chemical Engineering and Materials Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

277 Scopus citations

Abstract

The impact of controlled nanopatterning on the Ag back contact of an n-i-p a-Si:H solar cell was investigated experimentally and through electromagnetic simulation. Compared to a similar reference cell with a flat back contact, we demonstrate an efficiency increase from 4.5% to 6.2%, with a 26% increase in short circuit current density. Spectral response measurements show the majority of the improvement between 600 and 800 nm, with no reduction in photocurrent at wavelengths shorter than 600 nm. Optimization of the pattern aspect ratio using electromagnetic simulation predicts absorption enhancements over 50% at 660 nm.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	183503
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	95
Issue number	18
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3256187
State	Published - 2009

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We gratefully acknowledge H. Zeijlemaker for FIB assistance and C.H.M. van der Werf for solar cell deposition. The Caltech portion of this work was supported by the Department of Energy under Contract Number DE-FG02-07ER46405. Work at AMOLF is part of the research program of FOM which is financially supported by NWO. This work is part of the Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP). This work is also a part of NANONED, a technology program of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.

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This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

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abstract = "The impact of controlled nanopatterning on the Ag back contact of an n-i-p a-Si:H solar cell was investigated experimentally and through electromagnetic simulation. Compared to a similar reference cell with a flat back contact, we demonstrate an efficiency increase from 4.5\% to 6.2\%, with a 26\% increase in short circuit current density. Spectral response measurements show the majority of the improvement between 600 and 800 nm, with no reduction in photocurrent at wavelengths shorter than 600 nm. Optimization of the pattern aspect ratio using electromagnetic simulation predicts absorption enhancements over 50\% at 660 nm.",

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note = "Funding Information: We gratefully acknowledge H. Zeijlemaker for FIB assistance and C.H.M. van der Werf for solar cell deposition. The Caltech portion of this work was supported by the Department of Energy under Contract Number DE-FG02-07ER46405. Work at AMOLF is part of the research program of FOM which is financially supported by NWO. This work is part of the Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP). This work is also a part of NANONED, a technology program of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. ",

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doi = "10.1063/1.3256187",

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volume = "95",

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AU - Ferry, Vivian E.

AU - Verschuuren, Marc A.

AU - Li, Hongbo B T

AU - Schropp, Ruud E I

AU - Atwater, Harry A.

AU - Polman, Albert

N1 - Funding Information: We gratefully acknowledge H. Zeijlemaker for FIB assistance and C.H.M. van der Werf for solar cell deposition. The Caltech portion of this work was supported by the Department of Energy under Contract Number DE-FG02-07ER46405. Work at AMOLF is part of the research program of FOM which is financially supported by NWO. This work is part of the Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP). This work is also a part of NANONED, a technology program of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - The impact of controlled nanopatterning on the Ag back contact of an n-i-p a-Si:H solar cell was investigated experimentally and through electromagnetic simulation. Compared to a similar reference cell with a flat back contact, we demonstrate an efficiency increase from 4.5% to 6.2%, with a 26% increase in short circuit current density. Spectral response measurements show the majority of the improvement between 600 and 800 nm, with no reduction in photocurrent at wavelengths shorter than 600 nm. Optimization of the pattern aspect ratio using electromagnetic simulation predicts absorption enhancements over 50% at 660 nm.

AB - The impact of controlled nanopatterning on the Ag back contact of an n-i-p a-Si:H solar cell was investigated experimentally and through electromagnetic simulation. Compared to a similar reference cell with a flat back contact, we demonstrate an efficiency increase from 4.5% to 6.2%, with a 26% increase in short circuit current density. Spectral response measurements show the majority of the improvement between 600 and 800 nm, with no reduction in photocurrent at wavelengths shorter than 600 nm. Optimization of the pattern aspect ratio using electromagnetic simulation predicts absorption enhancements over 50% at 660 nm.

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DO - 10.1063/1.3256187

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JO - Applied Physics Letters

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ER -

Improved red-response in thin film a-Si:H solar cells with soft-imprinted plasmonic back reflectors

Abstract

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