title: A study of shape optimization on the metallic nanoparticles for thin-film solar cells.
abstract: The shape of metallic nanoparticles used to enhance the performance of thin-film solar cells is described by Gielis' superformula and optimized by an evolutionary algorithm. As a result, we have found a lens-like nanoparticle capable of improving the short circuit current density to 19.93 mA/cm2. Compared with a two-scale nanospherical configuration recently reported to synthesize the merits of large and small spheres into a single structure, the optimized nanoparticle enables the solar cell to achieve a further 7.75% improvement in the current density and is much more fabrication friendly due to its simple shape and tolerance to geometrical distortions.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Innovative Structures and Materials, School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne 3001, Australia. shiwei.zhou@rmit.edu.au.
authors.forename: Shiwei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yi Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Xie