Low cost and high performance light trapping structure for thin-film solar cells

TL;DR

This paper introduces a cost-effective, high-performance light trapping structure using prism-shaped SiO2 for thin-film solar cells, significantly improving efficiency without degrading material quality.

Contribution

It proposes a novel, inexpensive SiO2-based light trapping design with optimized geometry, enhancing thin-film solar cell efficiency while maintaining a flat active layer.

Findings

Conversion efficiency exceeds current highest values.

Cost of SiO2 structure is lower and easier to fabricate.

Flat active layer maintains material quality.

Abstract

Nano-scaled dielectric and metallic structures are popular light tapping structures in thin-film solar cells. However, a large parasitic absorption in those structures is unavoidable. Most schemes based on such structures also involve the textured active layers that may bring undesirable degradation of the material quality. Here we propose a novel and cheap light trapping structure based on the prism structured SiO2 for thin-film solar cells, and a flat active layer is introduced purposefully. Such a light trapping structure is imposed by the geometrical shape optimization to gain the best optical benefit. By examining our scheme, it is disclosed that the conversion efficiency of the flat a-Si:H thin-film solar cell can be promoted to exceed the currently certified highest value. As the cost of SiO2-based light trapping structure is much cheaper and easier to fabricate than other materials, this proposal would have essential impact and wide applications in thin-film solar cells.