Slow Bloch modes for enhancing the absorption of light in thin films for photovoltaic cells

This paper deals with the improvement of “light harvesting” in photovoltaic cells by using photonic nanostructures. We theoretically study a poly-3-hexylthiophene/[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT/PCBM) thin film periodically nanostructured in order to increase its absorption. The per...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2008-05, Vol.92 (19)
Main Authors: Duché, David, Escoubas, Ludovic, Simon, Jean-Jacques, Torchio, Philippe, Vervisch, Wilfried, Flory, François
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Engineering Sciences
Optics
Photonic
Physics
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Summary:This paper deals with the improvement of “light harvesting” in photovoltaic cells by using photonic nanostructures. We theoretically study a poly-3-hexylthiophene/[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT/PCBM) thin film periodically nanostructured in order to increase its absorption. The periodic nanostructuration allows “slow Bloch modes” (group velocity close to zero) to be coupled inside the material. The P3HT/PCBM photonic crystal parameters are adjusted to maximize the density of Bloch modes and obtain flat dispersion curves. The light-matter interaction is thus strongly enhanced, which results in a 35.6% increase of absorption in the 600–700nm spectral range.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.2929747