Investigation on Nanorod TCO Light-trapping for a-Si:H Solar Cells in Superstrate Configuration

2012 ◽  
Vol 1426 ◽  
pp. 111-116
Author(s):  
Martin Vehse ◽  
Stefan Geißendörfer ◽  
Tobias Voss ◽  
Jan-Peter Richters ◽  
Benedikt Schumacher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Transparent Conductive Oxide ◽  
Nanorod Array ◽  
Management Concepts ◽  
Trapping Solution ◽  
Electrochemically Deposited ◽  
Light Management ◽  
Zno Rods ◽  
Array Geometry

ABSTRACTLight trapping due to rough transparent conductive oxide (TCO) surfaces is a common and industrially applied technique in thin film silicon solar cells. In this study, we demonstrate a novel light trapping solution using electrochemically deposited, highly doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod arrays which goes beyond standard light management concepts. The n-doped ZnO rods enable the application as front electrode in superstrate configuration. We explain our experimental results by multidimensional solar cell simulations and show how the nanorod array geometry influences the cell performance. The requirement is demonstrated to choose an appropriate average nanorod distance which strongly influences the electrical cell characteristics. The results clearly outline the potential of TCO nanorod technology for enhanced light trapping.

New Light Management Concepts for Thin-Film Silicon Solar Cells

2008 ◽  
Vol 1101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helmut Stiebig ◽  
Christian Haase ◽  
Silvia Jorke ◽  
Philipp Obermeyer ◽  
Etienne Moulin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Metallic Nanoparticles ◽  
Light Propagation ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Cell Structure ◽  
Thin Film Silicon ◽  
Diffractive Element ◽  
Management Concepts ◽  
Light Management

AbstractAn efficient utilization of the sun spectrum is a key issue in the field of thin-film silicon solar cell technology. Therefore, different strategies for enhanced light absorption were presented in the last years. In order to achieve a better understanding of light scattering at nanotextured interfaces the optical properties of a large variety of samples were studied. The angle resolved scattering behavior was analyzed by means of a developed ray tracing model. As an alternative to randomly textured substrates, the influence of periodically textured substrates on the light propagation in solar cells was experimentally and numerically studied with respect to improved light in-coupling and light trapping. Based on a deeper understanding a new tandem cell structure with a diffractive element between the top and bottom cell was developed. Finally, the influence of metallic nanoparticles on the cell performance was studied.

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.

scholarly journals Solution-Processed Nanowire Coating for Light Management in Organic Solar Cells

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Tsuboi ◽  
T. Fukawa ◽  
Y. Konosu ◽  
H. Matsumoto ◽  
A. Tanioka
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Organic Solar Cells ◽  
Bulk Heterojunction ◽  
Incident Angle ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Solution Processed ◽  
Cell Efficiency ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Light Management

We report a novel light management approach based on solution-processed nanowire (NW) coating for enhancing organic solar cell efficiency. A titanium dioxide (TiO2) NW dispersion was produced by electrospinning. The coatings with various coverage fractions were fabricated by a simple solution casting of a TiO2NW dispersion. Reduced reflectivity was observed for the NW-coated glass slide. The bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells with the NW coating showed improved power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) due to their antireflection and light trapping effects in the active layer. In addition, the PCE of the cell with the NW coating was improved compared with that without the NW coating for incident angles above 70° (increased by a maximum of 51.6% at an incident angle of 85°). These results indicate that solution-processed NW coating is a promising light management approach easily scalable and applicable to a wide range of devices, including solar cells.

Laser Scribing of W-textured ZnO Substrates Using Green Laser

2013 ◽  
Vol 1493 ◽  
pp. 207-212
Author(s):  
Ryousuke Ishikawa ◽  
Hidetoshi Wada ◽  
Yasuyoshi Kurokawa ◽  
Porponth Sichanugrist ◽  
Makoto Konagai
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Silicon Layer ◽  
Transparent Conductive Oxide ◽  
Green Laser ◽  
Laser Scribing ◽  
Thin Film Silicon ◽  
532 Nm

ABSTRACTThin-film silicon solar cells have been attracted a lot of intention as low-cost solar cells. One of the most important technologies for improving their performances is light trapping. We have demonstrated the high potential of double-textured zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films used as front transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films due to further enhancement of their light-trapping effects. Although the laser scribing method has already been well established for low-cost thin-film silicon solar cell module manufacturing, laser scribing technique on double-textured ZnO is new and still a challenging issue. In this study, we firstly demonstrated the availability of laser scribing for amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cells fabricated on double-textured ZnO substrates. It is general to utilize lasers with wavelength of 1.06 μm and 532 nm for scribing of TCO and silicon layer, respectively. Here we attempted to scribe both of TCO and silicon layers using a 532 nm wavelength laser (green laser) for process simplifying.

scholarly journals Coupling and Trapping of Light in Thin-Film Solar Cells Using Modulated Interface Textures

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (21) ◽  
pp. 4648
Author(s):  
Jürgen Hüpkes ◽  
Gabrielle C. E. Jost ◽  
Tsvetelina Merdzhanova ◽  
Jorj I. Owen ◽  
Thomas Zimmermann
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Surface Texture ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Silicon Thin Film ◽  
Tandem Solar Cells ◽  
Light Coupling ◽  
Light Management

Increasing the efficiency of solar cells relies on light management. This becomes increasingly important for thin-film technologies, but it is also relevant for poorly absorbing semiconductors like silicon. Exemplarily, the performance of a-Si:H/µc-Si:H tandem solar cells strongly depends on the texture of the front and rear contact surfaces. The rear contact interface texture usually results from the front surface texture and the subsequent absorber growth. A well-textured front contact facilitates light-coupling to the solar cell and light-trapping within the device. A variety of differently textured ZnO:Al front contacts were sputter deposited and subsequently texture etched. The optical performance of a-Si:H/µc-Si:H tandem solar cells were evaluated regarding the two effects: light-coupling and light-trapping. A connection between the front contact texture and the two optical effects is demonstrated, specifically, it is shown that both are induced by different texture properties. These findings can be transferred to any solar cell technologies, like copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) or perovskites, where light management and modifications of surface textures by subsequent film growth have to be considered. A modulated surface texture of the ZnO:Al front contact was realized using two etching steps. Improved light-coupling and light-trapping in silicon thin-film solar cells lead to 12.5% efficiency.

SnO2:F with Very High Haze Value and Transmittance in Near Infrared Wavelength for Use as Front Transparent Conductive Oxide Films in Thin-Film Silicon Solar Cells

2013 ◽  
Vol 1536 ◽  
pp. 63-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masanobu Isshiki ◽  
Yasuko Ishikawa ◽  
Toru Ikeda ◽  
Takuji Oyama ◽  
Hidefumi Odaka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Carrier Concentration ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Flat Glass ◽  
High Mobility ◽  
Transparent Conductive Oxide ◽  
Infrared Wavelength ◽  
Novel Approach

ABSTRACTLow sheet resistance (high mobility) with high transmittance in all wavelength is required for front TCO. High haze value is also required for effective light trapping. For this purpose, we have combined F-doped SnO2 (FTO) with high mobility deposited by LPCVD and reactive ion etching (RIE) processed glass substrate. However, two problems have been found. (1) The mobility of FTO on RIE substrate dropped from that on flat glass (75 to 36 cm2/Vs). To avoid this drop, thicker film is needed. (2) To keep high transmittance with thicker film, lower carrier concentration is needed. But the mobility dropped with lower carrier concentration. In order to solve these constrains, we have adopted a stacked structure using thick non-doped layer of 2700 nm and thin F-doped layer of 500 nm. With this novel approach, we have successfully achieved the high mobility (80 cm2/Vs), low carrier concentration (2.2x1019 /cm3) and high haze value (77% at wavelength of 1000 nm) at the same time. This new developed high-haze SnO2 is a new promising TCO for thin-film Si solar cells.

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