Analyzing periodic and random textured silicon thin film solar cells by Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis

Rahul Dewan; Vladislav Jovanov; Saeed Hamraz; Dietmar Knipp

doi:10.1038/srep06029

Analyzing periodic and random textured silicon thin film solar cells by Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis

Sci Rep. 2014 Aug 12:4:6029. doi: 10.1038/srep06029.

Authors

Rahul Dewan¹, Vladislav Jovanov², Saeed Hamraz², Dietmar Knipp²

Affiliations

¹ 1] Research Center for Functional Materials and Nanomolecular Science, Electronic Devices and Nanophotonics Laboratory, Jacobs University Bremen, 28759 Bremen, Germany [2].
² Research Center for Functional Materials and Nanomolecular Science, Electronic Devices and Nanophotonics Laboratory, Jacobs University Bremen, 28759 Bremen, Germany.

Abstract

A simple and fast method was developed to determine the quantum efficiency and short circuit current of thin-film silicon solar cells prepared on periodically or randomly textured surfaces. The optics was studied for microcrystalline thin-film silicon solar cells with integrated periodic and random surface textures. Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA) was used to investigate the behaviour of the solar cells. The analysis of the periodic and random textured substrates allows for deriving optimal surface textures. Furthermore, light trapping in periodic and randomly textured substrates will be compared.