journal article·2022-01-01Open access

Quasi-hemispherical pit array textured surface for increasing the efficiency of thin-film solar cells

Le Chen, Bowen Fang, Qinglin Ke, Peihua Wangyang, Kexiang Hu, Wentao Zhang

AIP Advances· Volume 12· Issue 1

Abstract

Enhancing light absorption is an important way for solar cells to increase the conversion efficiency. In this paper, we prepared a quasi-hemispherical pit array texture on the glass surface through the micro-fabrication process. Then, silicon thin-film (a-Si:H) solar cells were deposited on the other smooth surface. Pit array textured cells exhibit a higher short-circuit current density and power conversion efficiency than flat devices by ∼7% and 5%, respectively. The reflectance spectrum of textured solar cells is considerably reduced, and the external quantum efficiency is considerably improved in the 300–800 nm wavelength range. Through COMSOL Multiphysics and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation, three significant effects identify light-trapping characteristics for textured structures: surface reflection reduction, secondary absorption, and light scattering. As a result, the textured surface of the quasi-hemispherical pit array can considerably increase the efficiency of solar cells. Meanwhile, the Lumerical DEVICE software was used to simulate the electrical characteristics of the cell, and the experimental results were theoretically proven.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Thin-Film Transistor Technologies · Optical Coatings and Gratings · Nanowire Synthesis and Applications

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Guangxi Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information Processing, Guilin University of Electronic Technology 1 , Guilin 541004, China

Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University 2 , 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, People’s Republic of China

Funding

National Science and Technology Major Project · China Postdoctoral Science Foundation · Guangxi Key Laboratory of Optoelectroric Information Processing · Specific Research Project of Guangxi for Research Bases and Talents · National Natural Science Foundation of China

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