title: Light trapping in thin-film silicon solar cells with submicron surface texture.
abstract: The influence of nano textured front contacts on the optical wave propagation within microcrystalline thin-film silicon solar cell was investigated. Periodic triangular gratings were integrated in solar cells and the influence of the profile dimensions on the quantum efficiency and the short circuit current was studied. A Finite Difference Time Domain approach was used to rigorously solve the Maxwell's equations in two dimensions. By studying the influence of the period and height of the triangular profile, the design of the structures were optimized to achieve higher short circuit currents and quantum efficiencies. Enhancement of the short circuit current in the blue part of the spectrum is achieved for small triangular periods (P<200 nm), whereas the short circuit current in the red and infrared part of the spectrum is increased for triangular periods (P = 900nm) comparable to the optical wavelength. The influence of the surface texture on the solar cell performance will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Science, Electronic Devices and Nanophotonics Laboratory, Jacobs University Bremen, 28759 Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dewan
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marinkovic
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Noriega
authors.forename: Sujay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Phadke
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salleo
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Knipp
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D003198:Computer Simulation; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D008027:Light; D008422:Materials Testing; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*; D012993:Solar Energy; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D012825:Silicon