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P-N junction

P-N junction

A p-n junction is formed when p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are joined together. At the interface of the p-n junction, holes from the p-side and electrons from the n-side begin to diffuse into the opposite sides due to the concentration gradient. This diffusion of carriers leads to a region around the junction where there are no free charge carriers, known as the depletion region. The charge density within the depletion region for the n-side and p-side can be described by the...

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Updated: Jul 9, 2025

Polycrystalline Silicon Thin-film Solar cells with Plasmonic-enhanced Light-trapping

Polycrystalline Silicon Thin-film Solar cells with Plasmonic-enhanced Light-trapping

Published on: July 2, 2012

Nanopatterned Back-Reflector with Engineered Near-Field/Far-Field Light Scattering for Enhanced Light Trapping in

Andrea Cordaro^1,2, Ralph Müller³, Stefan Wil Tabernig²

¹Institute of Physics, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, Amsterdam 1098 XH, The Netherlands.

ACS Photonics

|November 29, 2023

Summary

This study introduces a novel light trapping scheme using nanopatterned back-reflectors to boost the efficiency of silicon-based multijunction solar cells, particularly in the near-infrared spectrum.

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Developing High Performance GaP/Si Heterojunction Solar Cells

Developing High Performance GaP/Si Heterojunction Solar Cells

Published on: November 16, 2018

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Nanophotonics
Renewable Energy

Background:

Multijunction solar cells offer higher efficiency than silicon by capturing more of the solar spectrum.
Silicon subcells in multijunction devices exhibit weak absorption in the near-infrared (near-IR) range, limiting overall efficiency.
Advanced light trapping is crucial for overcoming these spectral limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

To enhance the near-IR spectral response and overall efficiency of silicon-based multijunction solar cells.
To develop an integrated near-field/far-field light trapping scheme.
To design and validate a nanopatterned diffractive silver back-reflector.

Main Methods:

Design of a nanopatterned diffractive silver back-reflector with a scattering matrix for optimized light trapping.
Engineering destructive interference to minimize parasitic plasmonic absorption and zeroth-order reflection.
Fabrication using substrate conformal imprint lithography and characterization of performance on single-junction TOPCon and triple-junction solar cells.

Main Results:

Improved external quantum efficiency by +1.52 mA/cm² for single-junction Si TOPCon cells compared to planar back-reflectors.
Demonstrated a +0.9%_abs absolute power conversion efficiency improvement for GaInP/GaInAsP//Si triple-junction solar cells.
Validated the effectiveness of nanophotonic light trapping for enhancing solar cell performance.

Conclusions:

Nanophotonic light trapping via nanopatterned metagrating back-reflectors significantly enhances silicon-based multijunction solar cell efficiency.
This approach effectively addresses the near-IR absorption limitations of silicon.
The developed technology holds promise for advancing more efficient and sustainable solar energy solutions.