TY - JOUR
T1 - On optical-absorption peaks in a nonhomogeneous thin-film solar cell with a two-dimensional periodically corrugated metallic backreflector
AU - Ahmad, Faiz
AU - Anderson, Tom H.
AU - Civiletti, Benjamin J.
AU - Monk, Peter B.
AU - Lakhtakia, Akhlesh
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).
PY - 2018/1/1
Y1 - 2018/1/1
N2 - The rigorous coupled-wave approach (RCWA) was implemented to investigate optical absorption in a triple-p-i-n-junction amorphous-silicon solar cell with a two-dimensional (2-D) metallic periodically corrugated backreflector (PCBR). Both total and useful absorptances were computed against the free-space wavelength λ0 for both s- and p-polarized polarization states. The useful absorptance in each of the three p-i-n junctions was also computed for normal as well as oblique incidence. Furthermore, two canonical boundary-value problems were solved for the prediction of guided-wave modes (GWMs): surface-plasmon-polariton waves and waveguide modes. Use of the doubly periodic PCBR enhanced both useful and total absorptances in comparison with a planar backreflector. The predicted GWMs were correlated with the peaks of the total and useful absorptances. The excitation of GWMs was mostly confined to λ0 < 700 nm and enhanced absorption. As excitation of certain GWMs could be correlated with the total absorptance but not with the useful absorptance, the useful absorptance should be studied while devising light-trapping strategies.
AB - The rigorous coupled-wave approach (RCWA) was implemented to investigate optical absorption in a triple-p-i-n-junction amorphous-silicon solar cell with a two-dimensional (2-D) metallic periodically corrugated backreflector (PCBR). Both total and useful absorptances were computed against the free-space wavelength λ0 for both s- and p-polarized polarization states. The useful absorptance in each of the three p-i-n junctions was also computed for normal as well as oblique incidence. Furthermore, two canonical boundary-value problems were solved for the prediction of guided-wave modes (GWMs): surface-plasmon-polariton waves and waveguide modes. Use of the doubly periodic PCBR enhanced both useful and total absorptances in comparison with a planar backreflector. The predicted GWMs were correlated with the peaks of the total and useful absorptances. The excitation of GWMs was mostly confined to λ0 < 700 nm and enhanced absorption. As excitation of certain GWMs could be correlated with the total absorptance but not with the useful absorptance, the useful absorptance should be studied while devising light-trapping strategies.
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U2 - 10.1117/1.JNP.12.016017
DO - 10.1117/1.JNP.12.016017
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85043523322
SN - 1934-2608
VL - 12
JO - Journal of Nanophotonics
JF - Journal of Nanophotonics
IS - 1
M1 - 016017
ER -