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By direct numerical solution of Maxwell’s equations and the semiconductor drift-diffusion equations, we demonstrate solar-power conversion efficiencies in the 29%–30% range in crystalline-silicon photonic-crystal solar cells. These 3–12-μm-thick photonic crystals, consisting of wavelength-scale inverted-pyramid arrays, absorb sunlight considerably in excess of the Lambertian limit due to waveinterference-based light trapping. It is suggested that the resulting optimized balance between bulk Auger recombination and solar absorption occurs for a silicon thickness of 10 μm, in contrast to previous estimates of more than 100 μm. Optimized n+pp+ doping profiles involving low p doping throughout most of the bulk and thin n+ and p+ doping at the emitter and base regions yield an ideal electronic response. For solar absorption restricted to the 300–1100-nm range, we obtain a short-circuit current of 42.5 mA/cm2, an open-circuit voltage of nearly 0.8 V, and a fill factor of about 87%, provided that the surface recombination velocities are less than 100 cm/s. With inclusion of solar absorption in the 1100–1200-nm range through electronic-band-gap narrowing and the Urbach optical absorption edge, our wave-interference-based light trapping enables an additional photocurrent density of 1.09 mA/cm2 for an overall power conversion efficiency of 30%. Under solar concentration by factors of 20 and 150, the power conversion efficiencies are increased to 32.5% and 33.5%, respectively.

Towards 30% Power Conversion Efficiency in Thin-Silicon Photonic-Crystal Solar Cells