Optimization of charge-carrier generation in amorphous-silicon thin-film tandem solar cell backed by two-dimensional metallic surface-relief grating

Benjamin J. Civiletti; Tom H. Anderson; Faiz Ahmad; Peter B. Monk; Akhlesh Lakhtakia

doi:10.1117/12.2274077

Optimization of charge-carrier generation in amorphous-silicon thin-film tandem solar cell backed by two-dimensional metallic surface-relief grating

Benjamin J. Civiletti, Tom H. Anderson, Faiz Ahmad, Peter B. Monk, Akhlesh Lakhtakia

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The rigorous coupled-wave approach was implemented in a three-dimensional setting to calculate the chargecarrier-generation rate in a thin-film solar cell with multiple amorphous-silicon p-i-n junctions. The solar cell comprised a front antireflection window; three electrically isolated p-i-n junctions in tandem; and a periodically corrugated silver back-reflector with hillock-shaped corrugations arranged on a hexagonal lattice. The differential evolution algorithm (DEA) was used to maximize the charge-carrier-generation rate over a set of selected optical and electrical parameters. This optimization exercise minimized the bandgap of the topmost i-layer but all other parameters turned out to be uninfluential. More importantly, the exercise led to a configuration that would very likely render the solar cell inefficient. Therefore, another optimization exercise was conducted to maximize power density. The resulting configuration was optimal over all parameters.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	Next Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion VIII
Editors	Gavin Conibeer, Oleg V. Sulima
Publisher	SPIE
ISBN (Electronic)	9781510611931
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2274077
State	Published - 2017
Event	Next Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion VIII 2017 - San Diego, United States Duration: Aug 8 2017 → Aug 9 2017

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	10368
ISSN (Print)	0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)	1996-756X

Other

Other	Next Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion VIII 2017
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Diego
Period	8/8/17 → 8/9/17

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics
Computer Science Applications
Applied Mathematics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1117/12.2274077

Cite this

Civiletti, B. J., Anderson, T. H., Ahmad, F., Monk, P. B., & Lakhtakia, A. (2017). Optimization of charge-carrier generation in amorphous-silicon thin-film tandem solar cell backed by two-dimensional metallic surface-relief grating. In G. Conibeer, & O. V. Sulima (Eds.), Next Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion VIII Article 1036809 (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 10368). SPIE. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2274077

Civiletti, Benjamin J. ; Anderson, Tom H. ; Ahmad, Faiz et al. / Optimization of charge-carrier generation in amorphous-silicon thin-film tandem solar cell backed by two-dimensional metallic surface-relief grating. Next Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion VIII. editor / Gavin Conibeer ; Oleg V. Sulima. SPIE, 2017. (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering).

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title = "Optimization of charge-carrier generation in amorphous-silicon thin-film tandem solar cell backed by two-dimensional metallic surface-relief grating",

abstract = "The rigorous coupled-wave approach was implemented in a three-dimensional setting to calculate the chargecarrier-generation rate in a thin-film solar cell with multiple amorphous-silicon p-i-n junctions. The solar cell comprised a front antireflection window; three electrically isolated p-i-n junctions in tandem; and a periodically corrugated silver back-reflector with hillock-shaped corrugations arranged on a hexagonal lattice. The differential evolution algorithm (DEA) was used to maximize the charge-carrier-generation rate over a set of selected optical and electrical parameters. This optimization exercise minimized the bandgap of the topmost i-layer but all other parameters turned out to be uninfluential. More importantly, the exercise led to a configuration that would very likely render the solar cell inefficient. Therefore, another optimization exercise was conducted to maximize power density. The resulting configuration was optimal over all parameters.",

author = "Civiletti, {Benjamin J.} and Anderson, {Tom H.} and Faiz Ahmad and Monk, {Peter B.} and Akhlesh Lakhtakia",

note = "Funding Information: The research of B.J. Civiletti, T.H. Anderson, and P.B. Monk is partially supported by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) under grant number DMS-1619904. The research of F. Ahmed and A. Lakhtakia is partially supported by US NSF under grant number DMS-1619901. A. Lakhtakia thanks the Charles Godfrey Binder Endowment at the Pennsylvania State University for ongoing support of his research.; Next Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion VIII 2017 ; Conference date: 08-08-2017 Through 09-08-2017",

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Civiletti, BJ, Anderson, TH, Ahmad, F, Monk, PB & Lakhtakia, A 2017, Optimization of charge-carrier generation in amorphous-silicon thin-film tandem solar cell backed by two-dimensional metallic surface-relief grating. in G Conibeer & OV Sulima (eds), Next Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion VIII., 1036809, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, vol. 10368, SPIE, Next Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion VIII 2017, San Diego, United States, 8/8/17. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2274077

Optimization of charge-carrier generation in amorphous-silicon thin-film tandem solar cell backed by two-dimensional metallic surface-relief grating. / Civiletti, Benjamin J.; Anderson, Tom H.; Ahmad, Faiz et al.
Next Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion VIII. ed. / Gavin Conibeer; Oleg V. Sulima. SPIE, 2017. 1036809 (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 10368).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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AU - Lakhtakia, Akhlesh

N1 - Funding Information: The research of B.J. Civiletti, T.H. Anderson, and P.B. Monk is partially supported by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) under grant number DMS-1619904. The research of F. Ahmed and A. Lakhtakia is partially supported by US NSF under grant number DMS-1619901. A. Lakhtakia thanks the Charles Godfrey Binder Endowment at the Pennsylvania State University for ongoing support of his research.

PY - 2017

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N2 - The rigorous coupled-wave approach was implemented in a three-dimensional setting to calculate the chargecarrier-generation rate in a thin-film solar cell with multiple amorphous-silicon p-i-n junctions. The solar cell comprised a front antireflection window; three electrically isolated p-i-n junctions in tandem; and a periodically corrugated silver back-reflector with hillock-shaped corrugations arranged on a hexagonal lattice. The differential evolution algorithm (DEA) was used to maximize the charge-carrier-generation rate over a set of selected optical and electrical parameters. This optimization exercise minimized the bandgap of the topmost i-layer but all other parameters turned out to be uninfluential. More importantly, the exercise led to a configuration that would very likely render the solar cell inefficient. Therefore, another optimization exercise was conducted to maximize power density. The resulting configuration was optimal over all parameters.

AB - The rigorous coupled-wave approach was implemented in a three-dimensional setting to calculate the chargecarrier-generation rate in a thin-film solar cell with multiple amorphous-silicon p-i-n junctions. The solar cell comprised a front antireflection window; three electrically isolated p-i-n junctions in tandem; and a periodically corrugated silver back-reflector with hillock-shaped corrugations arranged on a hexagonal lattice. The differential evolution algorithm (DEA) was used to maximize the charge-carrier-generation rate over a set of selected optical and electrical parameters. This optimization exercise minimized the bandgap of the topmost i-layer but all other parameters turned out to be uninfluential. More importantly, the exercise led to a configuration that would very likely render the solar cell inefficient. Therefore, another optimization exercise was conducted to maximize power density. The resulting configuration was optimal over all parameters.

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PB - SPIE

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Civiletti BJ, Anderson TH, Ahmad F, Monk PB, Lakhtakia A. Optimization of charge-carrier generation in amorphous-silicon thin-film tandem solar cell backed by two-dimensional metallic surface-relief grating. In Conibeer G, Sulima OV, editors, Next Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion VIII. SPIE. 2017. 1036809. (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering). doi: 10.1117/12.2274077

Optimization of charge-carrier generation in amorphous-silicon thin-film tandem solar cell backed by two-dimensional metallic surface-relief grating

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