Revisiting light trapping in solar cells: new upper bounds and models

9 March 2024 Revisiting light trapping in solar cells: new upper bounds and models

Stéphane Collin, Maxime Giteau

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Proceedings Volume PC12881, Physics, Simulation, and Photonic Engineering of Photovoltaic Devices XIII; PC1288108 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3003865
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2024, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

We present a universal model of broadband absorption in a slab of semiconductor. The theoretical framework, based on the description of multiple overlapping resonances in the frequency domain, has a very broad domain of validity. We derive simple analytical formulas for reference light-trapping models and for absorption upper bounds. Two light-trapping strategies are compared: multi-resonant absorption achieved with a sub-wavelength periodical pattern, and isotropic scattering obtained with random texturing. We provide an answer to the long-debated question of the best strategy for light-trapping in solar cells, and guidelines for the design of ultrathin solar cells. They apply to both silicon and thin-film solar cells. The new upper bounds on absorption presented in this work could be used to revisit the maximum efficiency of single-junction silicon solar cells.

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Stéphane Collin and Maxime Giteau "Revisiting light trapping in solar cells: new upper bounds and models", Proc. SPIE PC12881, Physics, Simulation, and Photonic Engineering of Photovoltaic Devices XIII, PC1288108 (9 March 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3003865

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KEYWORDS

Absorption

Solar cells

Light absorption

Silicon solar cells

Scattering

Statistical analysis

Refractive index

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