Improved absorption efficiency of silicon (Si) solar cells through Resonant Waveguide Gratings (RWGs) - A hybrid design of RWG and Si solar cell

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• 作者：Muhammad Sohaib Badar^a ; Muhammad Rizwan Saleem^a ; ^b ; ^{rizwan.saleem@uef.fi" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author}
• 关键词：Resonant Waveguide Gratings (RWGs) ; Enhanced light absorption ; Silicon solar cells ; Fourier Modal Method (FMM) ; Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD)
• 刊名：Optik - International Journal for Light and Electron Optics
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：January 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：128
• 期：Complete
• 页码：50-56
• 全文大小：1373 K

文摘

This research work focuses on the improved performance of a Si solar cell by increasing solar absorption. The silicon solar cell is designed with a hybrid photonic structure of Resonant Waveguide Gratings (RWGs) to enhance absorption efficiency. The Waveguide Gratings have been designed in Fourier Model Method (FMM) using regression algorithm. The subsequent hybrid design of RWG with Si solar cell has been carried out using Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) design tool. The grating corrugated layer is designed in a fused silica (SiO₂) material and coated with a high index amorphous TiO₂ material. One of the possible realizable grating designed parameters are: grating period d = 316 nm, refractive index of TiO₂, n_t = 2.385, refractive index of fused silica n_s = 1.450, duty cycle = 65%, structure line width w = 205 nm, resonance wavelength λ_r = 632.8 nm (Helium-Neon laser), angle of incidence θ_i = 18°, and grating grooved height h_g = 120 nm, whereas the designed parameters for Si solar cell are: refractive index of Si N = 3.882 + i(0.019) at resonance wavelength λ_r = 632.8 nm, cell thickness T = 500nm. The employment of optimized grating parameters in simulations leads to efficient hybrid device performance.