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Efficient nanocoax‐based solar cells
Author(s) -
Naughton M. J.,
Kempa K.,
Ren Z. F.,
Gao Y.,
Rybczynski J.,
Argenti N.,
Gao W.,
Wang Y.,
Peng Y.,
Naughton J. R.,
McMahon G.,
Paudel T.,
Lan Y. C.,
Burns M. J.,
Shepard A.,
Clary M.,
Ballif C.,
Haug F.J.,
Söderström T.,
Cubero O.,
Eminian C.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
physica status solidi (rrl) – rapid research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.786
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1862-6270
pISSN - 1862-6254
DOI - 10.1002/pssr.201004154
Subject(s) - thin film , optoelectronics , materials science , energy conversion efficiency , amorphous silicon , solar cell , plasmonic solar cell , coaxial , silicon , nanotechnology , polymer solar cell , computer science , crystalline silicon , telecommunications
The power conversion efficiency of most thin film solar cells is compromised by competing optical and electronic constraints, wherein a cell must be thick enough to collect light yet thin enough to efficiently extract current. Here, we introduce a nanoscale solar architecture inspired by a well‐known radio technology concept, the coaxial cable, that naturally resolves this “thick–thin” conundrum. Optically thick and elec‐ tronically thin amorphous silicon “nanocoax” cells are in the range of 8% efficiency, higher than any nanostructured thin film solar cell to date. Moreover, the thin nature of the cells reduces the Staebler–Wronski light‐induced degradation effect, a major problem with conventional solar cells of this type. This nanocoax represents a new platform for low cost, high efficiency solar power. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)