Open AccessHow tilting and cavity-mode-resonant absorption contribute to light harvesting in 3D radial junction solar cells
Author(s) -
Jiawen Lu,
Shengyi Qian,
Zhongwei Yu,
Soumyadeep Misra,
Linwei Yu,
Jun Xu,
Yi Shi,
Pere Roca i Cabarrocas,
Kunji Chen
Publication year - 2015
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.23.0a1288
Subject(s) - optoelectronics , optics , materials science , absorption (acoustics) , quantum efficiency , photovoltaic system , thin film , physics , nanotechnology , ecology , biology
Radial junction (RJ) architecture has proven beneficial in boosting light harvesting and fast carrier separation in thin film solar cells. While a comprehensive understanding of the detailed absorption distribution and light incoupling mechanism within such a 3D RJ configuration remains largely unexplored. Taking hydrogenated amorphous Si (a-Si:H) RJ solar cells as an example, we here address in both experimental and theoretical manners the impacts of tilting and spacing configuration on the light absorption and external quantum efficiency (EQE) responses. A nice agreement between the calculated and experimental EQE responses indicates that the light harvesting realized within RJ thin film solar cells is quite robust against geometric variations and shadowing effects. Following the concepts of optical fiber injection, we have been able to single out the contribution arising solely from a resonant-mode-incoupling into the RJ cavities against a sidewall scattering incidence scenario. These results provide insightful viewpoints as well as practical guides in developing a new generation of high performance RJ thin film solar cells.