Tandem Photonic-Crystal Thin Films Surpassing Lambertian Light-Trapping Limit over Broad Bandwidth and Angular Range

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel design of stacked photonic-crystal thin films that significantly exceeds traditional light-trapping limits in photovoltaic cells across broad bandwidths and angles, using advanced computational methods.

Contribution

It presents a new quasi-resonant design of stacked photonic-crystal slabs that surpasses the Lambertian light-trapping limit in silicon thin films.

Findings

Achieves absorption beyond Lambertian limit

Operates effectively over broad bandwidths

Maintains high performance across wide angles

Abstract

Random surface texturing of an optically-thick film to increase the path length of scattered light rays, first proposed nearly thirty years ago, has thus far remained the most effective approach for photon absorption over the widest set of conditions. Here using recent advances in computational electrodynamics we describe a general strategy for the design of a silicon thin film applicable to photovoltaic cells based on a quasi-resonant approach to light trapping where two partially-disordered photonic-crystal slabs, stacked vertically on top of each other, have large absorption that surpasses the Lambertian limit over a broad bandwidth and angular range.