An optical study on the enhanced light trapping performance of the perovskite solar cell using nanocone structure.

Photon management strategies are crucial to improve the efficiency of perovskite thin film (PTF) solar cell. In this work, a nano-cone (NC) based 2D photonic nanostructure is designed and simulated aiming at achieve superior light trapping performance by introducing strong light scattering and interferences within perovskite active layer. Compared to the planar PTF solar cell, the NC nanostructured device with 45 degrees half apex angle obtains highest short-circuit current density, which improved over 20% from 15.00 mA/cm2 to 18.09 mA/cm2. This work offers an alternative design towards effective light trapping performance using 2D photonic nanostructure for PTF solar cell and could potentially be adopted as the nano-structuring strategy for the future perovskite solar cell industry.

Optical Study and Experimental Realization of Nanostructured Back Reflectors with Reduced Parasitic Losses for Silicon Thin Film Solar Cells.

We study light trapping and parasitic losses in hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin film solar cells fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on nanostructured back reflectors. The back reflectors are patterned using polystyrene assisted lithography. By using O2 plasma etching of the polystyrene spheres, we managed to fabricate hexagonal nanostructured back reflectors. With the help of rigorous modeling, we study the parasitic losses in different back reflectors, non-active layers, and last but not least the light enhancement effect in the silicon absorber layer. Moreover, simulation results have been checked against experimental data. We have demonstrated hexagonal nanostructured amorphous silicon thin film solar cells with a power conversion efficiency of 7.7% and around 34.7% enhancement of the short-circuit current density, compared with planar amorphous silicon thin film solar cells.