Nano-imprinted rear-side diffraction gratings for absorption enhancement in solar cells

Alexander Mellor; Hubert Hauser; Aron Guttowski; Christine Wellens; Benedikt Bläsi; Ignacio Tobías; Antonio Martí; Antonio Luque

doi:10.1117/12.929034

12 October 2012 Nano-imprinted rear-side diffraction gratings for absorption enhancement in solar cells

Alexander Mellor, Hubert Hauser, Aron Guttowski, Christine Wellens, Benedikt Bläsi, Ignacio Tobías, Antonio Martí, Antonio Luque

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8471, Next Generation (Nano) Photonic and Cell Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion III; 84710O (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.929034
Event: SPIE Solar Energy + Technology, 2012, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

As wafer-based solar cells become thinner, light-trapping textures for absorption enhancement will gain in importance. In this work, crystalline silicon wafers were textured with wavelength-scale diffraction grating surface textures by nanoimprint lithography using interference lithography as a mastering technology. This technique allows fine-tailored nanostructures to be realized on large areas with high throughput. Solar cell precursors were fabricated, with the surface textures on the rear side, for optical absorption measurements. Large absorption enhancements are observed in the wavelength range in which the silicon wafer absorbs weakly. It is shown experimentally that bi-periodic crossed gratings perform better than uni-periodic linear gratings. Optical simulations have been made of the fabricated structures, allowing the total absorption to be decomposed into useful absorption in the silicon and parasitic absorption in the rear reflector. Using the calculated silicon absorption, promising absorbed photocurrent density enhancements have been calculated for solar cells employing the nano-textures. Finally, first results are presented of a passivation layer deposition technique that planarizes the rear reflector for the purpose of reducing the parasitic absorption.

Citation Download Citation

Alexander Mellor, Hubert Hauser, Aron Guttowski, Christine Wellens, Benedikt Bläsi, Ignacio Tobías, Antonio Martí, and Antonio Luque "Nano-imprinted rear-side diffraction gratings for absorption enhancement in solar cells", Proc. SPIE 8471, Next Generation (Nano) Photonic and Cell Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion III, 84710O (12 October 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.929034

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KEYWORDS

Absorption

Silicon

Reflectors

Solar cells

Diffraction gratings

Semiconducting wafers

Aluminum

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