Design High-Efficiency Si Nanopillar-Array-Textured Thin-Film Solar Cell

Author

Wong, S.M. ; Yu, H.Y. ; Li, J.S. ; Zhang, G. ; Lo, Patrick G Q ; Kwong, D.L.

Author_Institution

Sch. of Electr. & Electron. Eng., Nanyang Technol. Univ., Singapore, Singapore

Volume

31

Issue

4

fYear

2010

fDate

4/1/2010 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

335

Lastpage

337

Abstract

In this letter, the electrical performance in terms of power conversion efficiency (PCE) of Si nanopillar (SiNP)-textured thin-film solar cell is investigated via simulation, where the SiNP physical dimensions were predetermined for optimized solar-energy absorption. Several key factors affecting PCE of the solar cell, e.g., the impact of Si quality in terms of minority carrier lifetime, emitter doping level, and emitter junction depth, is highlighted, and a practical guideline to design high-efficiency SiNP-textured thin-film solar cell is thus provided. The PCE of the structure under investigation can be significantly boosted, compared with the to-date reported Si thin-film solar cell.

Keywords

power conversion; silicon; solar cells; thin film devices; Si quality; emitter doping level; emitter junction depth; high-efficiency Si nanopillar; minority carrier lifetime; optimized solar-energy absorption; power conversion efficiency; thin-film solar cell; Power conversion efficiency (PCE); Si nanopillars (SiNPs); Si thin film; solar cell;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Device Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0741-3106

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LED.2010.2040062

Filename

5419081