Textured back-surface reflectors for thin-film solar cells

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.339390· OSTI ID:6269217

Paulick, T C

A textured interface between ..cap alpha..-Si:H and silver is modeled as a periodic corrugation by using the exact extinction theorem. Light is reflected from such a surface into grating modes, which may be either propagating or evanescent. Deeper textures place the reflected light preferentially into modes of higher-order number. The higher-order propagating modes are absorbed with increasing strength by the ..cap alpha..-Si:H. The evanescent modes have effective extinction coefficients that may be many orders of magnitude greater than the ''bulk'' value for ..cap alpha..-Si:H. Numerical results suggest the texture dimensions that would most increase the long-wavelength solar cell efficiency. The surface-plasmon polariton dispersion relation is calculated for the interface between ..cap alpha..-Si:H and silver. This is used to interpret published photoconductivity data for ..cap alpha..-Si:H backed by textured silver.

• Research Organization: 245 Sheridan Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55405
• OSTI ID: 6269217
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Vol. 62:7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
INTERFACES
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
PLASMONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
SILVER
THIN FILMS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
METALS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUASI PARTICLES
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion