Local characterization of light trapping effects of metallic and dielectric nanoparticles in ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells via scanning near-field optical microscopy

Min Song; Guanchao Yin; Paul Fumagalli; Martina Schmid

doi:10.1117/12.2253223

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20 February 2017 Local characterization of light trapping effects of metallic and dielectric nanoparticles in ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ solar cells via scanning near-field optical microscopy

Min Song, Guanchao Yin, Paul Fumagalli, Martina Schmid

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Proceedings Volume 10114, Quantum Dots and Nanostructures: Growth, Characterization, and Modeling XIV; 101140S (2017) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2253223
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2017, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Plasmonic and photonic nanoparticles have proven beneficial for solar cells in the aspect of light management. For improved exploitation of nanoparticles in solar cells, it is necessary to reveal the absorption enhancement mechanism from the nanoparticles. In this study, we investigated the nanoparticle-enhanced solar cells in near-field regime with optic and opto-electric scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM). The near-field distribution of regularly arranged silver and polystyrene nanoparticles produced by nanosphere lithography on Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ (CIGSe) solar cells is characterized using a custom-built SNOM, which gives insight into the optical mechanism of light trapping from nanoparticles to solar cells. On the other hand, the photocurrent of CIGSe solar cells with and without nanoparticles is studied with an opto-electric SNOM by recording the photocurrent during surface scanning, further revealing the opto-electrical influences of the nanoparticles. In addition, finite element method simulations have been performed and agree with the results from SNOM. We found the dielectric polystyrene spheres are able to enhance the absorption and benefit the generation of charge carriers in the solar cells.

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Min Song, Guanchao Yin, Paul Fumagalli, and Martina Schmid "Local characterization of light trapping effects of metallic and dielectric nanoparticles in ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ solar cells via scanning near-field optical microscopy", Proc. SPIE 10114, Quantum Dots and Nanostructures: Growth, Characterization, and Modeling XIV, 101140S (20 February 2017); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2253223

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