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Nanostructured Transparent Conductive Oxides for Photovoltaic Applications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2013

Roger E. Welser
Affiliation:
Magnolia Solar, Inc., 251 Fuller Road, CESTM- B250, Albany, NY 12203 Magnolia Optical Technologies, Inc., 52-B Cummings Park, Suite 314, Woburn, MA 01801
Adam W. Sood
Affiliation:
Magnolia Solar, Inc., 251 Fuller Road, CESTM- B250, Albany, NY 12203 Magnolia Optical Technologies, Inc., 52-B Cummings Park, Suite 314, Woburn, MA 01801 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 Eighth Street, Troy, NY 12180
Jaehee Cho
Affiliation:
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 Eighth Street, Troy, NY 12180
E. Fred Schubert
Affiliation:
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 Eighth Street, Troy, NY 12180
Jennifer L. Harvey
Affiliation:
NYSERDA, 17 Columbia Circle, Albany, NY 12203
Nibir K. Dhar
Affiliation:
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203
Ashok K. Sood
Affiliation:
Magnolia Solar, Inc., 251 Fuller Road, CESTM- B250, Albany, NY 12203 Magnolia Optical Technologies, Inc., 52-B Cummings Park, Suite 314, Woburn, MA 01801
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Abstract

Oblique-angle deposition is used to fabricate indium tin oxide (ITO) optical coatings with a porous, columnar nanostructure. Nanostructured ITO layers with a reduced refractive index are then incorporated into antireflection coating (ARC) structures with a step-graded refractive index design, enabling increased transmittance into an underlying semiconductor over a wide range of wavelengths of interest for photovoltaic applications. Low-refractive index nanostructured ITO coatings can also be combined with metal films to form an omnidirectional reflector (ODR) structure capable of achieving high internal reflectivity over a broad spectrum of wavelengths and a wide range of angles. Such conductive high-performance ODR structures on the back surface of a thin-film solar cell can potentially increase both the current and voltage output by scattering unabsorbed and emitted photons back into the active region of the device.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

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References

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