Light‐trapping and spectral modulation to increase the conversion efficiency of triple‐junction GaAs solar cells using antireflective coating comprising a periodic array of cone‐shaped TiO2 structures

• Published in: International journal of energy research Vol. 46; no. 8; pp. 10157 - 10168
• Main Authors: Ho, Wen‐Jeng, Liu, Jheng‐Jie, Chen, Xing‐Yu, Xiao, Hung‐Pin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Inc 25.06.2022; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Antireflection coatings; antireflective coating; Arrays; Cell surface; Circuits; cone‐shaped TiO2; conversion efficiency; Diameters; Efficiency; Electrical measurement; Energy conversion efficiency; external quantum efficiency; GaAs solar cell; Gallium arsenide; Illumination; Light scattering; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaics; Polystyrene; Polystyrene resins; Quantum efficiency; Reflectance; Solar cells; spectral light‐trapping; Structures; Surface structure; Titanium dioxide; Trapping; triple‐junction
• ISSN: 0363-907X; 1099-114X
• DOI: 10.1002/er.7240

Summary This study sought to increase the conversion efficiency of triple‐junction GaAs solar cells via spectral light trapping through the application of a uniform TiO2 layer with an antireflective coating (ARC) comprising a periodic array of cone‐shaped TiO2 structures. The cone‐shaped TiO2 ARC structures were fabricated using a mask of polystyrene spheres (PS) of various diameters (600, 700, and 800 nm). This surface modification was meant to match external quantum efficiency (EQE) response and reflectance spectra in order to modulate the light‐trapping effects. In experiments, forward light scattering and reduced reflectivity were shown to improve the EQE response of the cells to beyond that of the cell with a uniform layer of TiO2. The average weighted EQE (EQEW) values of the cell with the proposed ARC (PS: 600 nm) exceeded that of cells with larger surface structure (PS: 700 or 800 nm). These modifications were also shown to increase short‐circuit current‐density (JSC) and conversion efficiency (η), as confirmed by photovoltaic current‐voltage measurements under AM 1.5G illumination. The cone‐shaped ARC structures also increased the acceptance angle and electrical output under solar illumination of a given duration. Compared to the reference cell, the cell with 600‐nm structures enhanced the EQEW by an impressive 40.26% (from 48.88% to 68.56%), JSC by 20.55% (from 9.73 to 11.73 mA/cm2), and η by 20.59% (from 20.98% to 25.30%). This study sought to increase the conversion efficiency of 3J GaAS solar cells via spectral light‐trapping through the application of a uniform TiO2 layer with an antireflective coating comprising a periodic array of cone‐shaped TiO2 structures. The cone‐shaped TiO2 structures (PS: 600 nm) improved the photovoltaic performance of triple‐junction GaAS cells by 20.55% in JSC (from 9.73 to 11.73 mA/cm2) and 20.59% increase in η (from 20.98% to 25.30%), under AM1.5G illuminations at zero of incidence. The cell with cone‐shaped TiO2 ARC structures also had a wider light source acceptance angle and delivered higher electrical output for a given duration.