Improving Efficiency of Multicrystalline Silicon and CIGS Solar Cells by Incorporating Metal Nanoparticles
This work studies the use of gold (Au) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles in multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) and copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS) solar cells. Au and Ag nanoparticles are deposited by spin-coating method, which is a simple and low cost process. The random distribution of nanoparti...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2015-10-01
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| Series: | Materials |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/8/10/5337 |
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| author | Ming-Jer Jeng Zih-Yang Chen Yu-Ling Xiao Liann-Be Chang Jianping Ao Yun Sun Ewa Popko Witold Jacak Lee Chow |
| author_facet | Ming-Jer Jeng Zih-Yang Chen Yu-Ling Xiao Liann-Be Chang Jianping Ao Yun Sun Ewa Popko Witold Jacak Lee Chow |
| author_sort | Ming-Jer Jeng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This work studies the use of gold (Au) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles in multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) and copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS) solar cells. Au and Ag nanoparticles are deposited by spin-coating method, which is a simple and low cost process. The random distribution of nanoparticles by spin coating broadens the resonance wavelength of the transmittance. This broadening favors solar cell applications. Metal shadowing competes with light scattering in a manner that varies with nanoparticle concentration. Experimental results reveal that the mc-Si solar cells that incorporate Au nanoparticles outperform those with Ag nanoparticles. The incorporation of suitable concentration of Au and Ag nanoparticles into mc-Si solar cells increases their efficiency enhancement by 5.6% and 4.8%, respectively. Incorporating Au and Ag nanoparticles into CIGS solar cells improve their efficiency enhancement by 1.2% and 1.4%, respectively. The enhancement of the photocurrent in mc-Si solar cells is lower than that in CIGS solar cells, owing to their different light scattering behaviors and material absorption coefficients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:29:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-58331ba71b5e4c47a752edd2685a8b4f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:29:51Z |
| publishDate | 2015-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-58331ba71b5e4c47a752edd2685a8b4f2022-12-22T02:46:52ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442015-10-018106761677110.3390/ma8105337ma8105337Improving Efficiency of Multicrystalline Silicon and CIGS Solar Cells by Incorporating Metal NanoparticlesMing-Jer Jeng0Zih-Yang Chen1Yu-Ling Xiao2Liann-Be Chang3Jianping Ao4Yun Sun5Ewa Popko6Witold Jacak7Lee Chow8Department of Electronic Engineering, Chang Gung University, Kweishan-Taoyuan 333, TaiwanDepartment of Electronic Engineering, Chang Gung University, Kweishan-Taoyuan 333, TaiwanDepartment of Electronic Engineering, Chang Gung University, Kweishan-Taoyuan 333, TaiwanDepartment of Electronic Engineering, Chang Gung University, Kweishan-Taoyuan 333, TaiwanInstitute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Thin film Devices and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, ChinaInstitute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Thin film Devices and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, ChinaInstitute of Physics, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wroclaw 50-370, PolandInstitute of Physics, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wroclaw 50-370, PolandDepartment of Physics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USAThis work studies the use of gold (Au) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles in multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) and copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS) solar cells. Au and Ag nanoparticles are deposited by spin-coating method, which is a simple and low cost process. The random distribution of nanoparticles by spin coating broadens the resonance wavelength of the transmittance. This broadening favors solar cell applications. Metal shadowing competes with light scattering in a manner that varies with nanoparticle concentration. Experimental results reveal that the mc-Si solar cells that incorporate Au nanoparticles outperform those with Ag nanoparticles. The incorporation of suitable concentration of Au and Ag nanoparticles into mc-Si solar cells increases their efficiency enhancement by 5.6% and 4.8%, respectively. Incorporating Au and Ag nanoparticles into CIGS solar cells improve their efficiency enhancement by 1.2% and 1.4%, respectively. The enhancement of the photocurrent in mc-Si solar cells is lower than that in CIGS solar cells, owing to their different light scattering behaviors and material absorption coefficients.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/8/10/5337Au and Ag nanoparticlesmulticrystalline siliconCIGS solar cellsspin coating |
| spellingShingle | Ming-Jer Jeng Zih-Yang Chen Yu-Ling Xiao Liann-Be Chang Jianping Ao Yun Sun Ewa Popko Witold Jacak Lee Chow Improving Efficiency of Multicrystalline Silicon and CIGS Solar Cells by Incorporating Metal Nanoparticles Materials Au and Ag nanoparticles multicrystalline silicon CIGS solar cells spin coating |
| title | Improving Efficiency of Multicrystalline Silicon and CIGS Solar Cells by Incorporating Metal Nanoparticles |
| title_full | Improving Efficiency of Multicrystalline Silicon and CIGS Solar Cells by Incorporating Metal Nanoparticles |
| title_fullStr | Improving Efficiency of Multicrystalline Silicon and CIGS Solar Cells by Incorporating Metal Nanoparticles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving Efficiency of Multicrystalline Silicon and CIGS Solar Cells by Incorporating Metal Nanoparticles |
| title_short | Improving Efficiency of Multicrystalline Silicon and CIGS Solar Cells by Incorporating Metal Nanoparticles |
| title_sort | improving efficiency of multicrystalline silicon and cigs solar cells by incorporating metal nanoparticles |
| topic | Au and Ag nanoparticles multicrystalline silicon CIGS solar cells spin coating |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/8/10/5337 |
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