Journal Article10.1088/2040-8978/15/10/105007
Lithographically fabricable, optimized three-dimensional solar cell random structure
TL;DR: In this article, a binary random grating is proposed which can be easily fabricated using common lithographic techniques, and the solar cell structure with 4 4 quasi-random binary grating can provide 23% higher integrated absorbance than its periodic grating counterpart.
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Abstract: The optimized random reflector is highly preferred for solar cells due to its superiority over an un-optimized totally random surface and its potential to exceed the Lambertian limit. There are some obstacles to overcome for realizing optimized random reflectors, including the feasibility from the process viewpoint and the intensive computational demand for large-scale random reflector design. Here a binary random grating is proposed which can be easily fabricated using common lithographic techniques. By using a global optimization algorithm and three-dimensional (3D) EMW simulation, the solar cell structure with 4 4 quasi-random binary grating can provide 23% higher integrated absorbance than its periodic grating counterpart and 103.5% higher integrated absorbance than a planar cell, approaching the Lambertian limit. Broad-band transmission improvement at short wavelength and a broad-band waveguiding effect at long wavelength is observed for the optimized 3D geometry. Additionally, the optimized random grating surpasses the periodic grating at all incident angles. The absorbance of the large-scale, fully optimized binary pattern can potentially exceed the Lambertian limit while its computational demand is shown to be manageable.
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Citations
Nanoimprinted backside reflectors for a-Si:H thin-film solar cells: critical role of absorber front textures.
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Theoretical analysis of improved efficiency of silicon-wafer solar cells with textured nanotriangular grating structure
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Experimentally-implemented genetic algorithm (Exp-GA): toward fully optimal photovoltaics.
TL;DR: By incorporating genetic algorithm (GA) into real-world experiments, shortened trial-and-error time can be achieved and this scheme can be used for many photonic design problems that are unsuitable for simulation-based optimizations.
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Rapid fabrication and trimming of nanostructured backside reflectors for enhanced optical absorption in a -Si:H solar cells
Yao-Chung Tsao,Thomas Søndergaard,Peter Kristensen,Rita Rizzoli,Kjeld Møller Pedersen,Thomas Garm Pedersen +5 more
TL;DR: In this article, the structural fabrication based on rapid aluminum anodization has a potential for roll-to-roll processes, which is promising for low-cost and large-scale fabrication of nanostructured metallic backside reflectors.
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