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Recent Innovations in Chemical Engineering

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 2405-5204
ISSN (Online): 2405-5212

Research Article

Aluminum Nanostructures Enhanced Optical Absorption in Thin-film Silicon Solar Cells

Author(s): Y. Premkumar Singh*, Amit Jain and Avinashi Kapoor

Volume 11, Issue 3, 2018

Page: [179 - 184] Pages: 6

DOI: 10.2174/2405520411666181026102049

Price: $65

Abstract

Background: Plasmonic light trapping in thin-film crystalline silicon solar cells is numerically investigated using finite-difference time-domain simulations.

Method: Enhancement of optical absorption due to the excitation of localized surface plasmons in a periodic arrangement of aluminum nanostructures is analyzed.

Result: Broadband photocurrent enhancement in a 1 µm thick silicon film can be observed over the 500-800 nm spectral range of interest.

Conclusion: Photocurrent density under Air Mass 1.5 global solar irradiation has been found to be enhanced by up to 40% using aluminum nanostructures with 300 nm width and 100 nm thick. The present work offers a cost-effective plasmonic material for solar cell applications.

Keywords: Thin-film solar cells, Light trapping, Surface plasmon, Optical absorption, Photocurrent density, Aluminum nanostructure.

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