Open AccessRealization of Quasi‐Omnidirectional Solar Cells with Superior Electrical Performance by All‐Solution‐Processed Si Nanopyramids
Author(s) -
Zhong Sihua,
Wang Wenjie,
Tan Miao,
Zhuang Yufeng,
Shen Wenzhong
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.388
H-Index - 100
ISSN - 2198-3844
DOI - 10.1002/advs.201700200
Subject(s) - homojunction , materials science , solar cell , optoelectronics , photovoltaics , omnidirectional antenna , heterojunction , nanotechnology , photovoltaic system , computer science , electrical engineering , telecommunications , antenna (radio) , engineering
Large‐scale (156 mm × 156 mm) quasi‐omnidirectional solar cells are successfully realized and featured by keeping high cell performance over broad incident angles (θ), via employing Si nanopyramids (SiNPs) as surface texture. SiNPs are produced by the proposed metal‐assisted alkaline etching method, which is an all‐solution‐processed method and highly simple together with cost‐effective. Interestingly, compared to the conventional Si micropyramids (SiMPs)‐textured solar cells, the SiNPs‐textured solar cells possess lower carrier recombination and thus superior electrical performances, showing notable distinctions from other Si nanostructures‐textured solar cells. Furthermore, SiNPs‐textured solar cells have very little drop of quantum efficiency with increasing θ, demonstrating the quasi‐omnidirectional characteristic. As an overall result, both the SiNPs‐textured homojunction and heterojunction solar cells possess higher daily electric energy production with a maximum relative enhancement approaching 2.5%, when compared to their SiMPs‐textured counterparts. The quasi‐omnidirectional solar cell opens a new opportunity for photovoltaics to produce more electric energy with a low cost.