DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Enhanced light absorption of solar cells and photodetectors by diffraction

Abstract

Enhanced light absorption of solar cells and photodetectors by diffraction is described. Triangular, rectangular, and blazed subwavelength periodic structures are shown to improve performance of solar cells. Surface reflection can be tailored for either broadband, or narrow-band spectral absorption. Enhanced absorption is achieved by efficient optical coupling into obliquely propagating transmitted diffraction orders. Subwavelength one-dimensional structures are designed for polarization-dependent, wavelength-selective absorption in solar cells and photodetectors, while two-dimensional structures are designed for polarization-independent, wavelength-selective absorption therein. Suitable one and two-dimensional subwavelength periodic structures can also be designed for broadband spectral absorption in solar cells and photodetectors. If reactive ion etching (RIE) processes are used to form the grating, RIE-induced surface damage in subwavelength structures can be repaired by forming junctions using ion implantation methods. RIE-induced surface damage can also be removed by post RIE wet-chemical etching treatments.

Inventors:
;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1175245
Patent Number(s):
6858462
Application Number:
09/834,308
Assignee:
Gratings, Inc. (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY

Citation Formats

Zaidi, Saleem H., and Gee, James M. Enhanced light absorption of solar cells and photodetectors by diffraction. United States: N. p., 2005. Web.
Zaidi, Saleem H., & Gee, James M. Enhanced light absorption of solar cells and photodetectors by diffraction. United States.
Zaidi, Saleem H., and Gee, James M. Tue . "Enhanced light absorption of solar cells and photodetectors by diffraction". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1175245.
@article{osti_1175245,
title = {Enhanced light absorption of solar cells and photodetectors by diffraction},
author = {Zaidi, Saleem H. and Gee, James M.},
abstractNote = {Enhanced light absorption of solar cells and photodetectors by diffraction is described. Triangular, rectangular, and blazed subwavelength periodic structures are shown to improve performance of solar cells. Surface reflection can be tailored for either broadband, or narrow-band spectral absorption. Enhanced absorption is achieved by efficient optical coupling into obliquely propagating transmitted diffraction orders. Subwavelength one-dimensional structures are designed for polarization-dependent, wavelength-selective absorption in solar cells and photodetectors, while two-dimensional structures are designed for polarization-independent, wavelength-selective absorption therein. Suitable one and two-dimensional subwavelength periodic structures can also be designed for broadband spectral absorption in solar cells and photodetectors. If reactive ion etching (RIE) processes are used to form the grating, RIE-induced surface damage in subwavelength structures can be repaired by forming junctions using ion implantation methods. RIE-induced surface damage can also be removed by post RIE wet-chemical etching treatments.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2005},
month = {2}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Zero-reflectivity high spatial-frequency rectangular-groove dielectric surface-relief gratings
journal, January 1986


Langmuir Probe Measurements and Characterization of Silicon Etching in  SF 6 /  O 2 Discharges
journal, March 1992


Wavelength‐selective absorption enhancement in thin‐film solar cells
journal, September 1983


Blazed binary subwavelength gratings with efficiencies larger than those of conventional échelette gratings
journal, January 1998


Diffraction grating structures in solar cells
conference, January 2000

  • Zaidi, S. H.; Gee, J. M.; Ruby, D. S.
  • 28th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Conference Record of the Twenty-Eighth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - 2000 (Cat. No.00CH37036)
  • https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2000.915850

A study of the factors which control the efficiency of ion-implanted silicon solar cells
journal, April 1980


Anisotropic etching of silicon
journal, October 1978


Optical properties of nanoscale, one‐dimensional silicon grating structures
journal, December 1996


High-efficiency subwavelength diffractive element patterned in a high-refractive-index material for 633  nm
journal, January 1998


Light trapping properties of pyramidally textured surfaces
journal, July 1987


Plasma-texturization for multicrystalline silicon solar cells
conference, January 2000

  • Ruby, D. S.; Zaidi, S. H.; Narayanan, S.
  • 28th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Conference Record of the Twenty-Eighth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - 2000 (Cat. No.00CH37036)
  • https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2000.915756

Damage induced in Si by ion milling or reactive ion etching
journal, June 1983


High aspect-ratio holographic photoresist gratings
journal, January 1988


Plasma doping for shallow junctions
journal, January 1999

  • Goeckner, M. J.; Felch, S. B.; Fang, Z.
  • Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures, Vol. 17, Issue 5
  • https://doi.org/10.1116/1.590906

Submicrometer gratings for solar energy applications
journal, January 1995


Particle-free wafer cleaning and drying technology
journal, January 1989


Antireflection structured surfaces for the infrared spectral region
journal, January 1993