Efficiency enhancement in GaAs solar cells using self-assembled microspheres.
In this study we develop an efficient light harvesting scheme that can enhance the efficiency of GaAs solar cells using self-assembled microspheres. Based on the scattering of the microspheres and the theory of photonic crystals, the path length can be increased. In addition, the self-assembly of microspheres is one of the simplest and the fastest methods with which to build a 2D periodic structure. The experimental results are confirmed by the use of a simulation in which a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is used to analyze the absorption and electric field of the 2D periodic structure. Both the results of the numerical simulations and the experimental results show an increase in the conversion power efficiency of GaAs solar cell of about 25% when 1 microm microspheres were assembled on the surface of GaAs solar cells.
Department of Optics and Photonics, National Central University, Chung-Li 320, Taiwan.
Te-Hung
TH
Chang
Pei-Hsuan
PH
Wu
Sheng-Hui
SH
Chen
Chia-Hua
CH
Chan
Cheng-Chung
CC
Lee
Chii-Chang
CC
Chen
Yan-Kuin
YK
Su
D001152:Arsenicals / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004735:Energy Transfer; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005708:Gallium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008027:Light; D008863:Microspheres; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012993:Solar Energy
D001152:Arsenicals; C043055:gallium arsenide; D005708:Gallium