Open AccessThin film solar cell design based on photonic crystal and diffractive grating structures
Author(s) -
James G. Mutitu,
Shouyuan Shi,
Caihua Chen,
Tim Creazzo,
Allen Barnett,
Christiana B. Honsberg,
Dennis W. Prather
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.16.015238
Subject(s) - optics , photonic crystal , materials science , optoelectronics , grating , wavelength , diffraction grating , diffraction efficiency , scattering , fabrication , photonics , optical path , light scattering , physics , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
In this paper we present novel light trapping designs applied to multiple junction thin film solar cells. The new designs incorporate one dimensional photonic crystals as band pass filters that reflect short light wavelengths (400 - 867 nm) and transmit longer wavelengths(867 -1800 nm) at the interface between two adjacent cells. In addition, nano structured diffractive gratings that cut into the photonic crystal layers are incorporated to redirect incoming waves and hence increase the optical path length of light within the solar cells. Two designs based on the nano structured gratings that have been realized using the scattering matrix and particle swarm optimization methods are presented. We also show preliminary fabrication results of the proposed devices.