Advanced plasmonic interfaces for optimized light trapping in photovoltaics

Frontiers in Theoretical and Applied Physics/UAE 2017

Saleh, Z.M.^1,2 ; Nasser, H.^2 ; Özkol, E.^2 ; Bek, A.^2,3 ; Turan, R.^2,3

Department of Physics, Arab American University, Jenin, Palestine^1

Center for Solar Energy Research and Applications, METU, Ankara, Turkey^2

Department of Physics, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey^3

关键词: Absorber layers;    Light-trapping;    Localized surface plasmon resonance;    Optimum thickness;    Photovoltaic devices;    Photovoltaics;    Spacer layer;    Spacer layer thickness;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/869/1/012043/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/869/1/012043

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Plasmonic interfaces are integrated to photovoltaic devices to enhance light trapping and improve efficiency. The optimum thickness of the spacer layer used to passivate the absorber layer and adjust its distance from the metal nanoparticles remains unclear. We integrate plasmonic interfaces consisting of Ag nanoparticles and silicon nitride spacers of different thicknesses to the back of a-Si:H absorber to investigate the optimum thickness of the spacer layer and use the photocurrent in a-Si:H to indicate the enhancement in light-trapping. For integration to the back or front of the device, the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is shifted and broadened into the red with increased spacer layer thickness and the effect is more pronounced for integration to the back. An appreciable enhancement of photocurrent in a-Si:H is consistent with this broadening of LSPR and has a critical dependence on spacer layer thickness.