Advanced light trapping management by diffractive interlayer for thin-film silicon solar cells

Abstract

Thin-film silicon solar cells made of amorphous and microcrystalline silicon in tandem cell configuration enable high efficiency and low-cost production. Precise control of the absorption in each diode by a wavelength-selective and diffractive interlayer provides optimized current matching. For this purpose, intermediate reflectors with periodically textured interfaces are investigated. The propagation of electromagnetic waves is simulated using a three dimensional Maxwell solver which considers both near field and far field optics. Design rules for intermediate reflectors and textured interfaces are presented. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.