title: Hybrid silicon nanocone-polymer solar cells.
abstract: Recently, hybrid Si/organic solar cells have been studied for low-cost Si photovoltaic devices because the Schottky junction between the Si and organic material can be formed by solution processes at a low temperature. In this study, we demonstrate a hybrid solar cell composed of Si nanocones and conductive polymer. The optimal nanocone structure with an aspect ratio (height/diameter of a nanocone) less than two allowed for conformal polymer surface coverage via spin-coating while also providing both excellent antireflection and light trapping properties. The uniform heterojunction over the nanocones with enhanced light absorption resulted in a power conversion efficiency above 11%. Based on our simulation study, the optimal nanocone structures for a 10 μm thick Si solar cell can achieve a short-circuit current density, up to 39.1 mA/cm(2), which is very close to the theoretical limit. With very thin material and inexpensive processing, hybrid Si nanocone/polymer solar cells are promising as an economically viable alternative energy solution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States.
authors.forename: Sangmoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Erik C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Garnett
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zongfu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Shanhui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Mark L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Brongersma
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: McGehee
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*; D012993:Solar Energy
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D012825:Silicon