Modeling of Light Propagation and Phonon Conduction inside Metallic Nanoparticles Enhanced Thin-Film Solar Cells

The main aim of this work is to analyze the various heat transport mechanisms and their roles in efficiency enhancement of a thin-film solar cell due to embedded metallic nanoparticles at the rear of the cell, from both electrical and thermal aspects. The nanoparticles present deep inside the cell reflect incident radiation which then increases the optical path length for enhanced electricity generation. The increase in the optical path length also tends to induce additional but undesirable thermal heating which reduces the performance of the cells. The relationship between the improved conversion efficiency and the thermal effect is the crucial factor of maximizing the performance of thin-film solar cells and has yet to be explored. An accurate theoretical/numerical modeling is warranted in this case. Here, we present an analysis of combined light propagation and preliminary phonon transport in the cell to study solar-energy deposition and the associated thermal gradient.