Scattering of long wavelengths into thin silicon photovoltaic films by plasmonic silver nanoparticles

R. M. Osgood III; K. M. Bullion; S. A. Giardini; J. B. Carlson; P. Stenhouse; R. Kingsborough; V. Liberman; L. Parameswaran; M. Rothschild; O. Miller; S. Kooi; J. Joannopoulos; F. Jeffrey; S. Braymen; H. Singh Gill; J. Kumar

doi:10.1117/12.2062268

7 October 2014 Scattering of long wavelengths into thin silicon photovoltaic films by plasmonic silver nanoparticles

R. M. Osgood III, K. M. Bullion, S. A. Giardini, J. B. Carlson, P. Stenhouse, R. Kingsborough, V. Liberman, L. Parameswaran, M. Rothschild, O. Miller, S. Kooi, J. Joannopoulos, F. Jeffrey, S. Braymen, H. Singh Gill, J. Kumar

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9178, Next Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion V; 91780I (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2062268
Event: SPIE Solar Energy + Technology, 2014, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Nanoparticles and nanostructures with plasmonic resonances are currently being employed to enhance the efficiency of solar cells. ^1-3 Ag stripe arrays have been shown theoretically to enhance the short-circuit current of thin silicon layers. ⁴ Monolayers of Ag nanoparticles with diameter d < 300 nm have shown strong plasmonic resonances when coated in thin polymer layers with thicknesses < d.⁵ We study experimentally the diffuse vs. specular scattering from monolayer arrays of Ag nanoparticles (spheres and prisms with diameters in the range 50 – 300 nm) coated onto the front side of thin (100 nm < t < 500 nm) silicon films deposited on glass and flexible polymer substrates, the latter originating in a roll-to-roll manufacturing process. Ag nanoparticles are held in place and aggregation is prevented with a polymer overcoat. We observe interesting wavelength shifts between maxima in specular and diffuse scattering that depend on particle size and shape, indicating that the nanoparticles substantially modify the scattering into the thin silicon film.

Citation Download Citation

R. M. Osgood III, K. M. Bullion, S. A. Giardini, J. B. Carlson, P. Stenhouse, R. Kingsborough, V. Liberman, L. Parameswaran, M. Rothschild, O. Miller, S. Kooi, J. Joannopoulos, F. Jeffrey, S. Braymen, H. Singh Gill, and J. Kumar "Scattering of long wavelengths into thin silicon photovoltaic films by plasmonic silver nanoparticles", Proc. SPIE 9178, Next Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion V, 91780I (7 October 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2062268

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