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Enhanced light absorption in thin-film solar cells with light propagation direction conversion

Ikuo Suemune

Open Access Open Access

Abstract

Enhancement of optical absorption in thin-film solar cells (TF-SCs) has been the long-lasting issue to achieve high efficiencies. Grating couplers have been studied for the conversion of incident light into guided modes propagating along TF-SCs to extend optical path for higher optical absorption. However the wavelength band for the efficient conversion remained relatively narrow and the overall improvement of TF-SC efficiencies has been limited. This paper demonstrates that the grating height design as well as the phase matching condition is important for the enhancement of optical absorption in TF-SCs with the calculation of short-circuit currents as a figure of merit for optimization. The influence of the light absorption coefficients and grating coupling strengths on the light absorption bandwidth is also discussed.

©2013 Optical Society of America

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Figures (4)
Fig. 1
Fig. 1 (a) Schematic of the calculated silicon TF-SC. (b) Wavelength dependence of short-circuit current under AM1.5 spectral irradiance. Solid line under 100%absorption efficiency, dashed line for TM incidence, and solid line with × for TE incidence. (c) Spectrally integrated short-circuit current vs. grating height Hgrat.

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Fig. 2
Fig. 2 (a) Schematic structure for the FDTD calculation. (b) Optical absorption efficiency calculated for the grating height of Hgrat = 0, 30, and 124 nm. (c) Comparison of optical absorption efficiencies for Hgrat = 30 nm with the a-Si absorption coefficient (solid line) and with virtual /10 (dashed line) where the one for Hgrat = 0 nm with /10 is also shown as a reference. (d) Expanded spectrum around the 810-nm peak in (c).

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Fig. 3
Fig. 3 (a) Hy field calculated with the a-Si absorption coefficient for the grating height of Hgrat = 30 nm at the wavelength of 810 nm. The incident light beam was assumed to excite the width corresponding to the 10 grating periods. (b) Field calculated with virtually reduced absorption of /10.

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Fig. 4
Fig. 4 (a) Hy field calculated with the a-Si absorption coefficient for the grating height of Hgrat = 124 nm. (b) Field calculated with virtually reduced absorption of /10.

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Equations (6)

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P= ∮ S E×H⋅ndS ,
D= m D λ/ N eff ,
2π| n Si − n ITO | H grat λ =π,
I SC = ∫ i SC (λ) dλ [mA/c m 2 ],
i SC (λ)= q hc λ⋅QE(λ)⋅S(λ) [(mA/c m 2 )/nm],
Φ(λ= λ 0 +Δλ)≈π(1−Δλ/ λ 0 ),
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