Guanchao Yin

Light Coupling and Trapping in Ultrathin Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cells Using Dielectric Scattering Patterns

We experimentally demonstrate photocurrent enhancement in ultrathin Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) solar cells with absorber layers of 460 nm by nanoscale dielectric light scattering patterns printed by substrate conformal imprint lithography. We show that patterning the front side of the device with TiO2 nanoparticle arrays results in a small photocurrent enhancement in almost the entire 400-1200 nm spectral range due to enhanced light coupling into the cell. Three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulations are in good agreement with external quantum efficiency measurements. Patterning the Mo/CIGSe back interface using SiO2 nanoparticles leads to strongly enhanced light trapping, increasing the efficiency from 11.1% for a flat to 12.3% for a patterned cell. Simulations show that optimizing the array geometry could further improve light trapping. Including nanoparticles at the Mo/CIGSe interface leads to substantially reduced parasitic absorption in the Mo back contact. Parasitic absorption in the back contact can be further reduced by fabricating CIGSe cells on top of a SiO2-patterned In2O3:Sn (ITO) back contact. Simulations show that these semitransparent cells have similar spectrally averaged reflection and absorption in the CIGSe active layer as a Mo-based patterned cell, demonstrating that the absorption losses in the Mo can be partially turned into transmission through the semitransparent geometry.

The effect of surface roughness on the determination of optical constants of CuInSe2 and CuGaSe2 thin films

To investigate the effect of surface roughness on the calculation of optical constants, e.g., the complex refractive index n+ik or (n,k) of CuIn1−xGaxSe2 (CIGSe) thin films, we took CuInSe2 (CISe) and CuGaSe2 (CGSe) as examples and applied the “Modified Transfer-Matrix (MTM)” method to calculate optical constants with considering the effect of scattering due to surface roughness. Compared to the Transfer-Matrix (TM) method without considering surface roughness, it was revealed that the MTM method could improve the accuracy of calculation. The calculated refractive index values from the MTM method increase by 6.89% for CISe and 2.59% for CGSe in contrast to those from the TM method. In addition, bromine solution was confirmed via Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy to be able to reduce the surface roughness. Calculated results from smoothened samples showed that the accuracy of calculated optical constants was further improved. Finally, optical constants calculated by the MTM method we...

Enhanced absorption in tandem solar cells by applying hydrogenated In2O3 as electrode

To realize the high efficiency potential of perovskite/chalcopyrite tandem solar cells in modules, hydrogenated In2O3 (IO:H) as electrode is investigated. IO:H with an electron mobility of 100 cm2 V−1 s−1 is demonstrated. Compared to the conventional Sn doped In2O3 (ITO), IO:H exhibits a decreased electron concentration and leads to almost no sub-bandgap absorption up to the wavelength of 1200 nm. Without a trade-off between transparency and lateral resistance in the IO:H electrode, the tandem cell keeps increasing in efficiency as the IO:H thickness increases and efficiencies above 22% are calculated. In contrast, the cells with ITO as electrode perform much worse due to the severe parasitic absorption in ITO. This indicates that IO:H has the potential to lead to high efficiencies, which is otherwise constrained by the parasitic absorption in conventional transparent conductive oxide electrode for tandem solar cells in modules.

A method for calculating the complex refractive index of inhomogeneous thin films

We calculate the complex refractive index of inhomogeneous thin films using the transfer matrix method and reflection/transmission measurements. To this end we have developed a model for both the 3D distribution of inhomogeneities inside thin films and for light propagation through the inhomogeneities. The model involves splitting the light into contributions from the homogeneous section of the film (modelled coherently) and the inhomogeneous sections (modelled incoherently). Measurements of the film implied an isotropic inhomogeneity distribution, which was replicated in the simulation. The model for light propagation inside a film was implemented into a transfer matrix program allowing for the evaluation of the reflection and transmission of the thin film on a substrate. Using this result and experimental data for the reflection and transmission, the complex refractive index, n + ik, of an inhomogeneous CuInSe2 film was calculated. The resulting n and k were in much closer agreement to the n and k for a homogeneous CuInSe2 film than those for the standard transfer matrix approach applied to the data of the inhomogeneous sample. The n value at short wavelengths deviates from the homogeneous value suggesting a breakdown of the scalar scattering theory for short wavelengths.

Influence of substrate and its temperature on the optical constants of CuIn1?xGaxSe2 thin films

We investigate the influence of substrate and its temperature on the optical constants of CuIn1?xGaxSe2 (CIGSe) thin films using the transfer-matrix method. The optical constants of a CIGSe layer on top of a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layer were calculated considering the realistic optical constants of the TCO layer after CIGSe deposition. It was found that TCO substrates could influence the optical constants of CIGSe layers and that the ITO (Sn doped In2O3) substrate had a greater impact than IMO (Mo doped In2O3) for the CIGSe (x?=?0.4) film when compared to a reference on bare glass substrate. Additionally, the varied substrate temperatures did not impact the optical constants of CGSe (x?=?1). For CIGSe (x?=?0.4), the refractive index n stayed relatively independent although at low temperature the grain size was reduced and the Ga/(Ga+In) profile was altered compared to that at high temperature (610??C). In contrast, the extinction coefficient k at low temperature showed higher absorption at longer wavelengths because of a lower minimum bandgap (Eg,min) originating from reduced inter-diffusion of Ga?Se at a low substrate temperature.

Concentrating light in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells

Light concentration has proven beneficial for solar cells, most notably for highly efficient but expensive absorber materials using high concentrations and large scale optics. Here we investigate light concentration for cost efficient thinfilm solar cells which show nano- or microtextured absorbers. Our absorber material of choice is Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) which has a proven stabilized record efficiency of 22.6% and which - despite being a polycrystalline thin-film material - is very tolerant to environmental influences. Taking a nanoscale approach, we concentrate light in the CIGSe absorber layer by integrating photonic nanostructures made from dielectric materials. The dielectric nanostructures give rise to resonant modes and field localization in their vicinity. Thus when inserted inside or adjacent to the absorber layer, absorption and efficiency enhancement are observed. In contrast to this internal absorption enhancement, external enhancement is exploited in the microscale approach: mm-sized lenses can be used to concentrate light onto CIGSe solar cells with lateral dimensions reduced down to the micrometer range. These micro solar cells come with the benefit of improved heat dissipation compared to the large scale concentrators and promise compact high efficiency devices. Both approaches of light concentration allow for reduction in material consumption by restricting the absorber dimension either vertically (ultra-thin absorbers for dielectric nanostructures) or horizontally (micro absorbers for concentrating lenses) and have significant potential for efficiency enhancement.

Nano-optical concept design for light management

Efficient light management in optoelectronic devices requires nanosystems where high optical qualities coincide with suitable device integration. The requirement of chemical and electrical passivation for integrating nanostrutures in e.g. thin film solar cells points towards the use of insulating and stable dielectric material, which however has to provide high scattering and near-fields as well. We investigate metal@dielectric core-shell nanoparticles and dielectric nanorods. Whereas core-shell nanoparticles can be simulated using Mie theory, nanorods of finite length are studied with the finite element method. We reveal that a metallic core within a thin dielectric shell can help to enhance scattering and near-field cross sections compared to a bare dielectric nanoparticle of the same radius. A dielectric nanorod has the benefit over a dielectric nanosphere in that it can generate much higher scattering cross sections and also give rise to a high near-field enhancement along its whole length. Electrical benefits of e.g. Ag@oxide nanoparticles in thin-film solar cells and ZnO nanorods in hybrid devices lie in reduction of recombination centers or close contact of the nanorod material with the surrounding organics, respectively. The optical benefit of dielectric shell material and elongated dielectric nanostructures is highlighted in this paper.

Local characterization of light trapping effects of metallic and dielectric nanoparticles in ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells via scanning near-field optical microscopy

Plasmonic and photonic nanoparticles have proven beneficial for solar cells in the aspect of light management. For improved exploitation of nanoparticles in solar cells, it is necessary to reveal the absorption enhancement mechanism from the nanoparticles. In this study, we investigated the nanoparticle-enhanced solar cells in near-field regime with optic and opto-electric scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM). The near-field distribution of regularly arranged silver and polystyrene nanoparticles produced by nanosphere lithography on Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) solar cells is characterized using a custom-built SNOM, which gives insight into the optical mechanism of light trapping from nanoparticles to solar cells. On the other hand, the photocurrent of CIGSe solar cells with and without nanoparticles is studied with an opto-electric SNOM by recording the photocurrent during surface scanning, further revealing the opto-electrical influences of the nanoparticles. In addition, finite element method simulations have been performed and agree with the results from SNOM. We found the dielectric polystyrene spheres are able to enhance the absorption and benefit the generation of charge carriers in the solar cells.