Broadband optical absorption enhancement through coherent light trapping in thin-film photovoltaic cells

We show that optical absorption in thin-film photovoltaic cells can be enhanced by inserting a tuned two-component aperiodic dielectric stack into the device structure. These coatings are a generalization and unification of the concepts of an anti-reflection coating used in solar cells and high-refl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inOptics express Vol. 16; no. 8; pp. 5385 - 5396
Main Authors Agrawal, Mukul, Peumans, Peter
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 14.04.2008
Subjects
Computer Simulation
Computer-Aided Design
Electric Power Supplies
Equipment Design
Equipment Failure Analysis
Light
Models, Theoretical
Optics and Photonics - instrumentation
Refractometry - instrumentation
Scattering, Radiation
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Summary:We show that optical absorption in thin-film photovoltaic cells can be enhanced by inserting a tuned two-component aperiodic dielectric stack into the device structure. These coatings are a generalization and unification of the concepts of an anti-reflection coating used in solar cells and high-reflectivity distributed Bragg mirror used in resonant cavity-enhanced narrowband photodetectors. Optimized two-component coatings approach the physically realizable limit and optimally redistribute the spectral photon density-of-states to enhance the absorption of the active layer across its absorption spectrum. Specific designs for thin-film organic solar cells increase the photocurrent under AM1.5 illumination, averaged over all incident angles and polarizations, by up to 40%.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:1094-4087
1094-4087
DOI:10.1364/oe.16.005385