Open AccessEnhancement of optical absorption in thin-film solar cells through the excitation of higher-order nanoparticle plasmon modes
Author(s) -
Yuriy Akimov,
W. S. Koh,
Kostya Ken Ostrikov
Publication year - 2009
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.17.010195
Subject(s) - plasmonic solar cell , materials science , plasmon , surface plasmon , surface plasmon resonance , optoelectronics , localized surface plasmon , absorption (acoustics) , nanoparticle , optics , thin film , solar cell , amorphous silicon , plasmonic nanoparticles , polymer solar cell , nanotechnology , crystalline silicon , physics , composite material
Recent research in the rapidly emerging field of plasmonics has shown the potential to significantly enhance light trapping inside thin-film solar cells by using metallic nanoparticles. In this article it is demonstrated the plasmon enhancement of optical absorption in amorphous silicon solar cells by using silver nanoparticles. Based on the analysis of the higher-order surface plasmon modes, it is shown how spectral positions of the surface plasmons affect the plasmonic enhancement of thin-film solar cells. By using the predictive 3D modeling, we investigate the effect of the higher-order modes on that enhancement. Finally, we suggest how to maximize the light trapping and optical absorption in the thin-film cell by optimizing the nanoparticle array parameters, which in turn can be used to fine tune the corresponding surface plasmon modes.