Light trapping in thin film silicon solar cells: an assessment

Hui Zhao; E. A. Schiff; L. Sivec; J. Yang; S. Guha

doi:10.1117/12.893619

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13 September 2011 Light trapping in thin film silicon solar cells: an assessment

Hui Zhao, E. A. Schiff, L. Sivec, J. Yang, S. Guha

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Proceedings Volume 8110, Thin Film Solar Technology III; 81100E (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.893619
Event: SPIE Solar Energy + Technology, 2011, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

We present an approach to estimating the light-trapping of thin film silicon solar cells by comparing the measured quantum efficiency spectrum and the theoretical absorptance spectrum based on ideal diffractive light scattering. The ideal diffractive absorptance enhancement is about 50 in silicon-based cells. We have surveyed published results for many nanocrystalline silicon cells; the largest empirical enhancement is about 25. We discuss the physical mechanisms leading to the reduced quantum efficiencies.

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Hui Zhao, E. A. Schiff, L. Sivec, J. Yang, and S. Guha "Light trapping in thin film silicon solar cells: an assessment", Proc. SPIE 8110, Thin Film Solar Technology III, 81100E (13 September 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.893619

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