Surface Treatment in Solar Cell Technology

1968 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 216-217
Author(s):  
J. C. Evans ◽  
K. M. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Surface Roughness ◽  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Surface Treatment ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Distilled Water ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Solar Cell Technology

In the fabrication of solar cells of both the crystalline and thin film types, surface treatment has been found to play a decisive role. The electron microscope has been used in an attempt to isolate and to optimize those surface features which contribute beneficially towards increased cell performance. From our work thus far it is suspected that surface roughness plays a significant role in the efficiency of light-trapping so basic to this form of energy conversion device. We have observed that etchants used to prepare the semiconductor surfaces often attack these surfaces quite selectively, producing identifiable surfaces determined by the etchant used and the semiconductor so treated. For example, an etch of a cadmium sulfide vacuum evaporated film with hydrochloric acid, one part in three parts of distilled water produced an etch less harsh or rough as a similar dilution of phosphoric acid in the same time period.

scholarly journals Combined front and back diffraction gratings for broad band light trapping in thin film solar cell

2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (S5) ◽  
pp. A560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianqin Meng ◽  
Emmanuel Drouard ◽  
Guillaume Gomard ◽  
Romain Peretti ◽  
Alain Fave ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cell ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
Diffraction Gratings

Improved light trapping effect for thin-film silicon solar cells fabricated on double-textured white glass substrate

2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 920-923 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hidetoshi Wada ◽  
Keiichi Nishikubo ◽  
Porponth Sichanugrist ◽  
Makoto Konagai
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Organic Chemical ◽  
Trapping Effect ◽  
Thin Film Silicon ◽  
Vapor Deposition Technique

Light trapping effect using rough surface transparent conductive oxide (TCO) is one of the best ways to achieve high efficiency thin-film silicon solar cells. Several types of rough ZnO film fabricated by metal organic chemical vapor deposition technique onto the glass, which are etched by reactive ion etching, have been proposed so far as promising TCO substrates. In this paper, newly developed ZnO substrate with extremely high light scattering property comparing with typical pyramidal texture one was developed. By applying this newly developed ZnO substrate to the solar cell, higher short circuit current of about 2% has been achieved comparing with typical pyramidal texture one without sacrificing other parameters. This result showed that the newly developed substrate is suitable as a front TCO substrate for high performance thin-film silicon solar cell.

Modeling of Advanced Light Trapping Approaches in Thin-Film Silicon Solar Cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 1321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miro Zeman ◽  
Olindo Isabella ◽  
Klaus Jäger ◽  
Pavel Babal ◽  
Serge Solntsev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Zinc Oxide ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Spherical Particles ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Amorphous Silicon Solar Cell ◽  
Thin Film Silicon ◽  
Negative Effect

ABSTRACTDue to the increasing complexity of thin-film silicon solar cells, the role of computer modeling for analyzing and designing these devices becomes increasingly important. The ASA program was used to study two of these advanced devices. The simulations of an amorphous silicon solar cell with silver nanoparticles embedded in a zinc oxide back reflector demonstrated the negative effect of the parasitic absorption in the particles. When using optical properties of perfectly spherical particles a modest enhancement in the external quantum efficiency was found. The simulations of a tandem micromorph solar cell, in which a zinc oxide based photonic crystal-like multilayer was incorporated as an intermediate reflector (IR), demonstrated that the IR resulted in an enhanced photocurrent in the top cell and could be used to optimize the current matching of the top and bottom cell.

Periodic Structures for Improved Light Management in Thin-film Silicon Solar Cells

2008 ◽  
Vol 1101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janez Krc ◽  
Andrej Campa ◽  
Stefan L. Luxembourg ◽  
Miro Zeman ◽  
Marko Topic
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Photonic Crystal ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Periodic Structures ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Thin Film Silicon ◽  
Light Management

AbstractAdvanced light management in thin-film solar cells is important in order to improve the photo-current and, thus, to raise up the conversion efficiencies of the solar cells. In this article two types of periodic structures ¡V one-dimensional diffraction gratings and photonic crystals,are analyzed in the direction of showing their potential for improved light trapping in thin-film silicon solar cells. The anti-reflective effects and enhanced scattering at the gratings with the triangular and rectangular features are studied by means of two-dimensional optical simulations. Simulations of the complete microcrystalline solar cell incorporating the gratings at all interfaces are presented. Critical optical issues to be overcome for achieving the performances of the cells with the optimized randomly textured interfaces are pointed out. Reflectance measurements for the designed 12 layer photonic crystal stack consisting of amorphous silicon nitride and amorphous silicon layers are presented and compared with the simulations. High reflectance (up to 99 %) of the stack is measured for a broad wavelength spectrum. By means of optical simulations the potential for using a simple photonic crystal structure as a back reflector in an amorphous silicon solar cell is demonstrated.

Functionality of ZnPc Thin Film Deposited on Polystyrene Interlayer for Immobilization of Biomolecules in QCM Based Biosensor

2015 ◽  
Vol 827 ◽  
pp. 266-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.J. Djoko H. Santjojo ◽  
Masruroh ◽  
Sri Widyarti ◽  
Fadli Robiandi
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Surface Roughness ◽  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Bovine Serum Albumin ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
Film Thickness ◽  
Quartz Crystal ◽  
Thermal Evaporation ◽  
Complex Adsorption ◽  
Scanning Electron

Functionality of zinc pthalocyanine (ZnPc) thin film for immobilization of biomolecules was studied using bovine serum albumin (BSA). The functionality is affected by microstructures and surface roughness of the film. This studies is conducted by producing ZnPc films by means of thermal evaporation in vacuum. The ZnPc films were deposited on quartz crystal substrates with a polystyrene interlayer. Observations were carried out using a scanning electron microscope and an optical micro-profilometry. Enhancement of the functionality is observed with the increase of the film thickness. Surface roughness and microstructures of the film influence the functionality in a complex way. Adsorbtion of the BSA molecules is associated with both the surface roughness and microstructures. Although generally the adsorption is proportional to the contact area but the roughness and fibrous microstructures of the deposited ZnPc produce complex adsorption and trapping mechanisms in the immobilization of the BSA.

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