Efficiency enhancement of screen-printed multicrystalline silicon solar cells by integrating gold nanoparticles via a dip coating process

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Title: Efficiency enhancement of screen-printed multicrystalline silicon solar cells by integrating gold nanoparticles via a dip coating process
Author(s): Fahim, Narges; Ouyang, Zi; Zhang, Yinan; Jia, Baohua; Shi, Zhengrong; Gu, Min
Abstract: Multicrystalline silicon solar cells play an increasingly important role in the world photovoltaic market. Boosting the comparatively low energy conversion efficiency of multicrystalline silicon solar cells is of great academic and industrial significance. In this paper, Au nanoparticles of an optimized size, synthesized by the iterative seeding method, were integrated onto industrially available surface-textured multicrystalline silicon solar cells via a dip coating method. Enhanced performance of the light absorption, the external quantum efficiency and the energy conversion efficiency were consistently demonstrated, resulting from the light scattering by the sized-tailored Au nanoparticles placed on the front surface of the solar cells, particularly in the spectral range from 800 to 1200 nm, an enhancement of the external quantum efficiency by more than 11% near λ = 1150 nm and the short-circuit current by 0.93% were both observed. As a result, an increase in the energy conversion efficiency up to 1.97% under the standard testing conditions (25°C, global air mass 1.5 spectrum, 1000 Wm−2) was achieved. This study opens new perspectives for plasmonic nanoparticle applications for photon management in multicrystalline silicon solar cells.
Publication type: Journal article
Research centre: Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences. Centre for Micro-Photonics
Source: Optical Materials Express, Vol. 2, no. 2 (Feb 2012), pp. 190-204
Publication year: 2012
Keyword(s): Coating; Photovoltaic detectors; Thin films; Nanomaterials; Nanostructures; Optoelectronics; Plasmonics; Subwavelength structures
Publisher: Optical Society of America
ISSN: 2159-3930
Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OME.2.000190
Copyright: Copyright © 2012 Optical Society of America. This paper was published in Optical Materials Express and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of OSA. The paper can be found at the following URL on the OSA website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OME.2.000190. Systematic or multiple reproduction or distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law.
Additional information: The authors acknowledge the financial support from the Victorian Government to establish the Victoria-Suntech Advanced Solar Facility (VSASF) under the Victoria Science Agenda (VSA) scheme.
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