Semi-Transparent Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells on Inexpensive Plastic Substrates

2006 ◽  
Vol 973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilvydas Matulionis ◽  
Jian Hu ◽  
Alex Stavrides ◽  
Nathan Call ◽  
Augusto Kunrath ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Layer Thickness ◽  
Active Area ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Plastic Substrates ◽  
Area Efficiency

ABSTRACTWe report a monolithic series connected semi-transparent (transmission > 40%) amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cell panel (substrate area 30cm × 40cm), which has an i-layer thickness <2000Å and an active area efficiency, η ∼ 3%. We also report on all laser scribed, series connected mini-modules with an aperture area η > 3% constructed on inexpensive plastic substrates.

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 SIMULATION HETEROJUNCTION SOLAR CELL A-SI:H(N)/A-SI:H(I)/C-SI(P)

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (6(75)) ◽  
pp. 56-61
Author(s):  
S.A. Livinskaya S.A.
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Thin Layer ◽  
Layer Thickness ◽  
Silicon Solar Cell ◽  
Heterojunction Solar Cell ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Technological Research ◽  
A Value ◽  
Photovoltaic Characteristics

In this work, a silicon solar cell HIT (heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer) a-Si:H(n)/a-Si:H(i)/c-Si(p) was simulated using AFORS-HET software. The influence of layer thickness and temperature of the solar cell under study on its photovoltaic characteristics is discussed. When optimizing the above characteristics, its effectiveness reaches a value of 19.1%. The results obtained are the foundation for further scientific and technological research on the development of highly efficient silicon solar cells.

Stable Solar Cells Prepared from Dichlorosilane

1998 ◽  
Vol 507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Yamamoto ◽  
W. Futako ◽  
K. Fukutani ◽  
M. Hagino ◽  
T. Sugawara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Band Gap ◽  
Buffer Layers ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Cell Structures ◽  
Reactive Plasma ◽  
Plasma Species

ABSTRACTAmorphous silicon films and solar cell i-layers were prepared from dichlorosilane(DCS) by ECR- and VHF-CVD. The hydrogen content, the chlorine content and the band gap could be controlled by varying argon and hydrogen dilution. The interaction of energetic and reactive plasma species with substrates and other previously deposited layers was studied. DCS, ECR-CVD causes darkening of TCO substrates even when buffer layers and/or doped layers were previously deposited by RF-CVD. Therefore n-i-p solar cell structures were prepared on NiCr and subsequent p-i-n solar cells were prepared with VHF-CVD which did not causeTCO reduction or other reactions in previously deposited amorphous layers. Preliminary results indicate that the VHF-CVD solar cells are at least as stable as standard amorphous silicon solar cells.

Novel approaches of light management in thin-film silicon solar cells

2006 ◽  
Vol 910 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janez Krc ◽  
M. Zeman ◽  
A. Campa ◽  
F. Smole ◽  
M. Topic
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Photonic Crystal ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Wavelength Region ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Novel Approaches ◽  
Back Reflector ◽  
High Reflectance

AbstractIn order to improve light trapping in thin-film silicon solar cells two novel approaches are investigated in this article: angle-selective management of light scattering inside the solar cell and wavelength-selective manipulation of high reflectance or transmittance of light. Diffraction gratings are analyzed as a representative of the first approach. Haze and angular distribution function of scattered (diffracted) light in reflection are measured for aluminum-based rectangular periodic gratings with different period and height of the rectangles. High haze values in specific wavelength region and scattering angles of the investigated gratings measured in air and water agree very well with the theoretical predictions. Considering the actual optical situation in microcrystalline silicon solar cells, optimal period and height of the rectangular gratings applied as a back reflector are calculated for obtaining the total reflection at the front interfaces. In the frame of the second approach, photonic-crystal-like structures are introduced. By means of optical simulations photonic-crystal-like structures are investigated for two possible applications: an intermediate reflector in a micromorph silicon solar cell with wavelength-selective reflectivity and a dielectric back reflector with a high reflectance in the long-wavelength region. The photonic crystal structure consisting of sequences of n-doped amorphous silicon and ZnO layers is designed for the efficient intermediate reflector. For the back reflector with a high reflectance the structures with intrinsic amorphous silicon, SiO2, MgF2 and TiO2 are proposed.

Improved metastability and performance of amorphous silicon solar cells

2014 ◽  
Vol 1666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuya Matsui ◽  
Adrien Bidiville ◽  
Hitoshi Sai ◽  
Takashi Suezaki ◽  
Mitsuhiro Matsumoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Cell Temperature ◽  
Single Junction Solar Cell ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

ABSTRACTWe show that high-efficiency and low-degradation hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) p-i-n solar cells can be obtained by depositing absorber layers in a triode-type plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process. Although the deposition rate is relatively low (0.01-0.03 nm/s) compared to the conventional diode-type PECVD process (∼0.2 nm/s), the light-induced degradation in conversion efficiency of single-junction solar cell is substantially reduced (Δη/ηini∼10%) due to the suppression of light-induced metastable defects in the a-Si:H absorber layer. So far, we have attained an independently-confirmed stabilized efficiency of 10.11% for a 220-nm-thick a-Si:H solar cell which was light soaked under 1 sun illumination for 1000 hours at cell temperature of 50°C. We further demonstrate that stabilized efficiencies as high as 10% can be maintained even when the solar cell is thickened to >300 nm.

Scattering, Diffraction, and Geometric Light Trapping in Thin Film Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells on Plastic Substrates

2012 ◽  
Vol 1426 ◽  
pp. 155-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.M. de Jong ◽  
J. Baggerman ◽  
C.J.M. van Rijn ◽  
P.J. Sonneveld ◽  
G.L.A.M. Swinkels ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Flat Glass ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Plastic Substrates ◽  
Glass Substrates ◽  
Current Densities ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous ◽  
Geometric Effects

ABSTRACTIn this study we compare light trapping in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells deposited directly onto polycarbonate (PC) at low temperature (< 130°C). To that end, we embossed PC substrates with 400 nm and 10 μm square based pyramids to induce light trapping based on diffraction and on geometric effects. As a comparison, we deposited a-Si:H cells on flat glass substrates and on Asahi U-type TCO glass. The cells on PC generate current densities comparable (slightly higher) than cells on Asahi TCO glass, but suffer from a slightly lower Voc, resulting in cells with an initial efficiency of 6.8% and 7.4% on sub-micron pyramid and micro-pyramid structured PC substrates respectively, compared to 7.6% for cells on Asahi. This shows great potential for a-Si:H cells deposited directly onto cheap plastics.

Light trapping in amorphous silicon solar cells on plastic substrates

2003 ◽  
Vol 769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Terrazzoni-Daudrix ◽  
Joelle Guillet ◽  
Xavier Niquille ◽  
Arvind Shah ◽  
R. Morf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Theoretical Calculations ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Plastic Substrates ◽  
Trapping Effect ◽  
Thin Film Silicon

AbstractIn order to simultaneously decrease the production costs of thin film silicon solar cells and obtain higher performances, the authors have studied the possibility to increase the light trapping effect within thin film silicon solar cells deposited on flexible plastic substrates. In this context, different nano-structure shapes useable for the back contacts of amorphous silicon solar cells on plastic substrates have been investigated: random textures and gratings.The optimisation of such back reflectors is so far empirical. Gratings constitute a well-known optical technique and their light trapping effect can be optimised by simulation.A first conclusion is that neither the traditional “Haze factor” determined in air for a wavelength of 650nm nor the “rms roughness” of the surfaces are sufficient as criteria to optimise the back contact roughness for light trapping in cells. The shape of grains is a further essential criterion. The authors have so far obtained a relative current enhancement of 16% for solar cells deposited on randomly textured polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as compared to a corresponding conventional solar cell co-deposited on a flat mirror (Ag) on glass. Solar cells on PET with 6.3% stabilized efficiency have until now been obtained. Theoretical calculations indicate that gratings can enhance the current of a-Si solar cells by up to 30 percent.

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