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Light trapping in thin film silicon solar cells via phase separated disordered nanopillars

Donie, Yidenekachew Jenberu 1,2; Smeets, Michael; Egel, Amos 1,2; Lentz, Florian; Preinfalk, Jan Benedikt 1; Mertens, Adrian 1; Smirnov, Vladimir; Lemmer, Uli 1,2; Bittkau, Karsten; Gomard, Guillaume 1,2
1 Lichttechnisches Institut (LTI), Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
2 Institut für Mikrostrukturtechnik (IMT), Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)

Abstract:

In this work we improve the absorption properties of thin film solar cells by introducing light trapping reflectors deposited onto self assembled nanostructures. The latter consist of a disordered array of nanopillars and are fabricated by polymer blend lithography. Their broadband light scattering properties are exploited to enhance the photocurrent density of thin film devices, here based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon active layers. We demonstrate that these light scattering nanopillars yield a short-circuit current density increase of +33%rel with respect to equivalent solar cells processed on a planar reflector. Moreover, we experimentally show that they outperform randomly textured substrates that are commonly used for achieving efficient light trapping. Complementary optical simulations are conducted on an accurate 3D model to analyze the superior light harvesting properties of the nanopillars array and to derive general design rules. Our approach allows to easily tune the morphology of the self-assembled nanostructures, is up-scalable and operated at room temperature, and is applicable to other photovoltaic technologies.


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Originalveröffentlichung
DOI: 10.1039/C8NR00455B
Scopus
Zitationen: 26
Web of Science
Zitationen: 25
Dimensions
Zitationen: 27
Zugehörige Institution(en) am KIT Institut für Mikrostrukturtechnik (IMT)
Universität Karlsruhe (TH) – Interfakultative Einrichtungen (Interfakultative Einrichtungen)
Karlsruhe School of Optics & Photonics (KSOP)
Lichttechnisches Institut (LTI)
Publikationstyp Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Publikationsjahr 2018
Sprache Englisch
Identifikator ISSN: 2040-3364, 2040-3372
KITopen-ID: 1000081363
HGF-Programm 43.23.04 (POF III, LK 01) Nanophotonics for Energy Conversion
Erschienen in Nanoscale
Verlag Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Band 10
Heft 14
Seiten 6651-6659
Nachgewiesen in Dimensions
Web of Science
Scopus
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