Plasmon-enhanced light absorption of silicon solar cells using Al nanoparticles

The absorption enhancements of silicon layer in silicon solar cells with Al sphere nanoparticles are studied by the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. The results show that the light absorption of silicon is significantly improved due to the localized surface plasmon (LSP) resonance. The relations of the absorption enhancement with the parameters of nanoparticles are thoroughly analyzed. The optimal absorption enhancement can be achieved by adjusting the relevant parameters. Specially, the silicon with the 140nm Al nanoparticles shows the most efficient absorption enhancement at optimal conditions and its maximum absorption enhancement factor is 1.4.