Integrated photonic structures for light trapping in thin-film Si solar cells

Author(s)
Sheng, Xing; Johnson, Steven G.; Broderick, Lirong Z.; Michel, Jurgen; Kimerling, Lionel C.
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Abstract
We explore the mechanisms for an efficient light trapping structure for thin-film silicon solar cells. The design combines a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) and periodic gratings. Using photonic band theories and numerical simulations, we discover that light can be scattered into the DBR by gratings, with an unusual way of light trapping different from metal reflectors and photonic crystals. We further investigate the influence of DBR on generated photocurrent in different device configurations. These results would provide new design rules for photonic structures in thin-film solar cells.
Date issued
2012-03
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/70479
Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Materials Science and Engineering; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mathematics
Journal
Applied Physics Letters
Publisher
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Citation
Sheng, Xing et al. “Integrated photonic structures for light trapping in thin-film Si solar cells.” Applied Physics Letters 100.11 (2012): 111110. © 2012 American Institute of Physics
Version: Final published version
ISSN
0003-6951
1077-3118
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