Optimal design of periodic surface texture for thin-film a-Si:H solar cells

Journal article (2010)

Authors

A Campa External organisation
O. Isabella Photovoltaic Materials and Devices - EEMCS
R. van Erven External organisation
P Peeters External organisation
H Borg External organisation
J Krc Electrical Power Processing
M Topic External organisation
M. Zeman Photovoltaic Materials and Devices - EEMCS
Research Group
Photovoltaic Materials and Devices (EEMCS) (TU Delft)
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Published Date

2010

Language

English

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Faculty

Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

Department

Electrical Sustainable Energy

Research Group

Photovoltaic Materials and Devices

Abstract

Optical analysis of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells with a periodic texture applied to the interfaces was carried out by two-dimensional optical simulator. The optical simulator solves the electromagnetic wave equations by means of finite element method using triangular elements for the discretization of space. The periodic texture with rectangular-like shape acts as a diffraction grating which scatters light into selective angles and thus gives a potential for significant prolongation of optical paths in thin absorber layers of the cells. Optimization of the geometrical parameters (period, height and duty-cycle) of the periodic texture was carried out in order to obtain the highest photocurrent from a-Si:H solar cells. The a-Si:H solar cell with the optimal periodic texture parameters (period of 300¿nm, height of 300¿nm and duty cycle of 50%) and the absorber layer thickness of 300¿nm generates up to 35% more photocurrent in comparison to the cell with flat interfaces. The optical analysis demonstrates that the optimal periodic texture in the a-Si:H solar cell results in the best trade-off between the antireflection effect at front interfaces, light scattering efficiency and the absorption losses at realistic metal back contact.