Design of Nanostructured Solar Cells Using Coupled Optical and Electrical Modeling

Nanostructured light trapping has emerged as a promising route toward improved efficiency in solar cells. We use coupled optical and electrical modeling to guide optimization of such nanostructures. We study thin-film n-i-p a-Si:H devices and demonstrate that nanostructures can be tailored to minimi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nano letters 2012-06, Vol.12 (6), p.2894-2900
Main Authors: Deceglie, Michael G, Ferry, Vivian E, Alivisatos, A. Paul, Atwater, Harry A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Carriers
Collection
Computer Simulation
Computer-Aided Design
Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties
Devices
Electric Power Supplies
Electronics - instrumentation
Energy
Equipment Design
Equipment Failure Analysis
Exact sciences and technology
Joining
Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties
Models, Theoretical
Nanostructure
Nanostructures - chemistry
Nanostructures - ultrastructure
Nanotechnology - instrumentation
Natural energy
Optical design
Optical Devices
Optimization
Particle Size
Photovoltaic cells
Photovoltaic conversion
Physics
Solar cells
Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells
Solar Energy
Surfaces and interfaces
thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
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Summary:Nanostructured light trapping has emerged as a promising route toward improved efficiency in solar cells. We use coupled optical and electrical modeling to guide optimization of such nanostructures. We study thin-film n-i-p a-Si:H devices and demonstrate that nanostructures can be tailored to minimize absorption in the doped a-Si:H, improving carrier collection efficiency. This suggests a method for device optimization in which optical design not only maximizes absorption, but also ensures resulting carriers are efficiently collected.
ISSN:1530-6984
1530-6992
DOI:10.1021/nl300483y