Hostname: page-component-7b7567c8c-7pwfn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-15T15:14:13.389Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Light Trapping by Periodically Structured TCO in the Submicrometer Range

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

Christopher Eisele,
Christoph E. Nebel and
Martin Stutzmann
Christopher Eisele
Affiliation:
Walter Schottky Institut, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall, 85748 Garching, Germany
Christoph E. Nebel
Affiliation:
Walter Schottky Institut, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall, 85748 Garching, Germany
Martin Stutzmann
Affiliation:
Walter Schottky Institut, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall, 85748 Garching, Germany
Get access

Abstract

Amorphous hydrogenated silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells need efficient light trapping structures to achieve high efficiency. To this end, aluminum doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) as a transparent front contact was periodically structured. Solar cells with grating periods between 390 and 980 nm were realized. The structures were characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and optical reflection. A simple formula for the wavelength where total internal reflection starts is deduced for each diffraction order. Solar cells with a periodic grating show a significant reduction in the overall reflectance which is comparable to cells with an optimized statistical texture.

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

REFERENCES

1. Yablonovitch, E., J. Opt. Soc. Am., 72, 899 (1982).Google Scholar
2. Deckman, H. W., Roxlo, C. B., Yablonovitch, E., Optics Letters 8, 491 (1983).Google Scholar
3. Mizuhashi, M., Gotoh, Y. and Adachi, K., Jap. J. Appl. Phys. 27, 2,053 (1988).Google Scholar
4. Rech, B., Wieder, S., Löffel, A., Reetz, W. and Wagner, H., Proceedings of the 26th PVSC Anaheim, p.619 (1997).Google Scholar
5. Kluth, O. et al. , Technical Digest of the International PVSEC-9, p.357 (1996).Google Scholar
6. Menner, R., Schäffler, R., Sprecher, B. and Dimmler, B., Proceedings of the 2nd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion Vienna, p.660 (1998).Google Scholar