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Scattering, Diffraction, and Geometric Light Trapping in Thin Film Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells on Plastic Substrates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 July 2012

M.M. de Jong ,
J. Baggerman ,
C.J.M. van Rijn ,
P.J. Sonneveld ,
G.L.A.M. Swinkels ,
H.J. Holterman ,
J.K. Rath  and
R.E.I. Schropp
M.M. de Jong
Affiliation:
Utrecht University, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Nanophotonics - Physics of Devices, P.O. Box 80.000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
J. Baggerman
Affiliation:
Aquamarijn, Berkelkade 11, 7201 JE Zutphen, The Netherlands
C.J.M. van Rijn
Affiliation:
Aquamarijn, Berkelkade 11, 7201 JE Zutphen, The Netherlands
P.J. Sonneveld
Affiliation:
HAN University of Applied Sciences, P.O.Box 2217, 6802 CE Arnhem, The Netherlands
G.L.A.M. Swinkels
Affiliation:
Wageningen UR Glastuinbouw, P.O. Box 644, 6700 AP Wageningen, The Netherlands
H.J. Holterman
Affiliation:
Wageningen UR Glastuinbouw, P.O. Box 644, 6700 AP Wageningen, The Netherlands
J.K. Rath*
Affiliation:
Utrecht University, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Nanophotonics - Physics of Devices, P.O. Box 80.000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
R.E.I. Schropp
Affiliation:
Utrecht University, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Nanophotonics - Physics of Devices, P.O. Box 80.000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
*
*Correspondence : J.K.Rath@uu.nl
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Abstract

In this study we compare light trapping in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells deposited directly onto polycarbonate (PC) at low temperature (< 130°C). To that end, we embossed PC substrates with 400 nm and 10 μm square based pyramids to induce light trapping based on diffraction and on geometric effects. As a comparison, we deposited a-Si:H cells on flat glass substrates and on Asahi U-type TCO glass. The cells on PC generate current densities comparable (slightly higher) than cells on Asahi TCO glass, but suffer from a slightly lower Voc, resulting in cells with an initial efficiency of 6.8% and 7.4% on sub-micron pyramid and micro-pyramid structured PC substrates respectively, compared to 7.6% for cells on Asahi. This shows great potential for a-Si:H cells deposited directly onto cheap plastics.

Keywords

photovoltaicplasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) (chemical reaction)thin film
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1426: Symposium A – Amorphous and Polycrystalline Thin-Film Silicon Science and Technology—2012 , 2012 , pp. 155 - 160
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

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References

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