Absorption-Enhanced Ultra-Thin Solar Cells Based on Horizontally Aligned p–i–n Nanowire Arrays
A horizontally aligned GaAs p–i–n nanowire array solar cell is proposed and studied via coupled three-dimensional optoelectronic simulations. Benefiting from light-concentrating and light-trapping properties, the horizontal nanowire array yields a remarkable efficiency of 10.8% with a radius of 90 n...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/6/1111 |
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| author | Xueguang Yuan Xiaoyu Chen Xin Yan Wei Wei Yangan Zhang Xia Zhang |
| author_facet | Xueguang Yuan Xiaoyu Chen Xin Yan Wei Wei Yangan Zhang Xia Zhang |
| author_sort | Xueguang Yuan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A horizontally aligned GaAs p–i–n nanowire array solar cell is proposed and studied via coupled three-dimensional optoelectronic simulations. Benefiting from light-concentrating and light-trapping properties, the horizontal nanowire array yields a remarkable efficiency of 10.8% with a radius of 90 nm and a period of 5 radius, more than twice that of its thin-film counterpart with the same thickness. To further enhance the absorption, the nanowire array is placed on a low-refractive-index MgF<sub>2</sub> substrate and capsulated in SiO<sub>2</sub>, which enables multiple reflection and reabsorption of light due to the refractive index difference between air/SiO<sub>2</sub> and SiO<sub>2</sub>/MgF<sub>2</sub>. The absorption-enhancement structure increases the absorption over a broad wavelength range, resulting in a maximum conversion efficiency of 18%, 3.7 times higher than that of the thin-film counterpart, which is 3 times larger in GaAs material volume. This work may pave the way for the development of ultra-thin high-efficiency solar cells with very low material cost. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:23:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9dd903b8548c4eeea5de1e3c31b47b22 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:23:02Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-9dd903b8548c4eeea5de1e3c31b47b222023-11-20T02:48:31ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912020-06-01106111110.3390/nano10061111Absorption-Enhanced Ultra-Thin Solar Cells Based on Horizontally Aligned p–i–n Nanowire ArraysXueguang Yuan0Xiaoyu Chen1Xin Yan2Wei Wei3Yangan Zhang4Xia Zhang5State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, ChinaA horizontally aligned GaAs p–i–n nanowire array solar cell is proposed and studied via coupled three-dimensional optoelectronic simulations. Benefiting from light-concentrating and light-trapping properties, the horizontal nanowire array yields a remarkable efficiency of 10.8% with a radius of 90 nm and a period of 5 radius, more than twice that of its thin-film counterpart with the same thickness. To further enhance the absorption, the nanowire array is placed on a low-refractive-index MgF<sub>2</sub> substrate and capsulated in SiO<sub>2</sub>, which enables multiple reflection and reabsorption of light due to the refractive index difference between air/SiO<sub>2</sub> and SiO<sub>2</sub>/MgF<sub>2</sub>. The absorption-enhancement structure increases the absorption over a broad wavelength range, resulting in a maximum conversion efficiency of 18%, 3.7 times higher than that of the thin-film counterpart, which is 3 times larger in GaAs material volume. This work may pave the way for the development of ultra-thin high-efficiency solar cells with very low material cost.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/6/1111horizontal nanowire arrayabsorption-enhancedsolar cellrefractive index differenceGaAs |
| spellingShingle | Xueguang Yuan Xiaoyu Chen Xin Yan Wei Wei Yangan Zhang Xia Zhang Absorption-Enhanced Ultra-Thin Solar Cells Based on Horizontally Aligned p–i–n Nanowire Arrays Nanomaterials horizontal nanowire array absorption-enhanced solar cell refractive index difference GaAs |
| title | Absorption-Enhanced Ultra-Thin Solar Cells Based on Horizontally Aligned p–i–n Nanowire Arrays |
| title_full | Absorption-Enhanced Ultra-Thin Solar Cells Based on Horizontally Aligned p–i–n Nanowire Arrays |
| title_fullStr | Absorption-Enhanced Ultra-Thin Solar Cells Based on Horizontally Aligned p–i–n Nanowire Arrays |
| title_full_unstemmed | Absorption-Enhanced Ultra-Thin Solar Cells Based on Horizontally Aligned p–i–n Nanowire Arrays |
| title_short | Absorption-Enhanced Ultra-Thin Solar Cells Based on Horizontally Aligned p–i–n Nanowire Arrays |
| title_sort | absorption enhanced ultra thin solar cells based on horizontally aligned p i n nanowire arrays |
| topic | horizontal nanowire array absorption-enhanced solar cell refractive index difference GaAs |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/6/1111 |
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