Investigation of Textured Back Reflectors With Periodic Honeycomb Patterns in Thin-Film Silicon Solar Cells for Improved Photovoltaic Performance

Author

Sai, Hitoshi ; Saito, Kimihiko ; Kondo, Michio

Author_Institution

Nat. Inst. of Adv. Ind. Sci. & Technol., Tsukuba, Japan

Volume

3

Issue

1

fYear

2013

fDate

Jan. 2013

Firstpage

5

Lastpage

10

Abstract

Periodically textured back reflectors with a honeycomb dimple pattern are investigated for improving the infrared response and conversion efficiency in substrate-type microcrystalline (μc-Si:H) silicon solar cells. For 1-μm-thick μc-Si:H cells, the best current density is obtained at the period of 1.4 μm, while a substantial enhancement in the external quantum efficiency is achievable in a wide range of period of 1-2 μm. In addition, photocurrent of the cells is improved with increasing the aspect ratio of the honeycomb textures. As a result of a high open-circuit voltage and fill factor, as well as the improved current densities, high conversion efficiencies of 9.4% and 9.9% are realized in the 1-μm-thick and 2-μm-thick μc-Si:H cells, respectively.

Keywords

current density; elemental semiconductors; honeycomb structures; hydrogen; optical elements; photoconductivity; photoemission; semiconductor thin films; silicon; solar cells; Si:H; aspect ratio; cell photocurrent; conversion efficiencies; conversion efficiency; current density; external quantum efficiency; fill factor; honeycomb dimple pattern; honeycomb textures; improved photovoltaic performance; infrared response; open-circuit voltage; periodic honeycomb patterns; periodically textured back reflectors; substrate-type microcrystalline silicon solar cells; thin-film silicon solar cells; Absorption; Current density; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic systems; Silicon; Substrates; Light trapping; periodic structures; photovoltaic cells; silicon; thin-film devices;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photovoltaics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

2156-3381

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JPHOTOV.2012.2213800

Filename

6301672