Abstract
Multicrystalline silicon solar cells play an increasingly important role in the world photovoltaic market. Boosting the comparatively low energy conversion efficiency of multicrystalline silicon solar cells is of great academic and industrial significance. In this paper, Au nanoparticles of an optimized size, synthesized by the iterative seeding method, were integrated onto industrially available surface-textured multicrystalline silicon solar cells via a dip coating method. Enhanced performance of the light absorption, the external quantum efficiency and the energy conversion efficiency were consistently demonstrated, resulting from the light scattering by the sized-tailored Au nanoparticles placed on the front surface of the solar cells, particularly in the spectral range from 800 to 1200 nm, an enhancement of the external quantum efficiency by more than 11% near λ = 1150 nm and the short-circuit current by 0.93% were both observed. As a result, an increase in the energy conversion efficiency up to 1.97% under the standard testing conditions (25°C, global air mass 1.5 spectrum, 1000 Wm−2) was achieved. This study opens new perspectives for plasmonic nanoparticle applications for photon management in multicrystalline silicon solar cells.
Highlights
Multicrystalline silicon solar cells represent the mainstream products that have dominated the photovoltaic market since 1999 when they overtook the leading position of single-crystalline silicon solar cells [1]
Through the integration of size-optimized Au NPs into Multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) solar cells, we show that the light absorption in the active layer of solar cells and the photocurrent as well as the external quantum efficiency (EQE) are consistently improved at longer wavelengths, while maintaining almost unchanged below the plasmon resonance wavelength
This study shows the suitability of plasmonic Au NPs to enhance the light absorption and the efficiency of optically thick and industrial mc-Si solar cells
Summary
Multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) solar cells represent the mainstream products that have dominated the photovoltaic market since 1999 when they overtook the leading position of single-crystalline silicon (sc-Si) solar cells [1]. Investigation of plasmonic NPs in mc-Si solar cells and demonstration of meaningful efficiency enhancement have not yet been reported it is of paramount significance to the solar cell research and the photovoltaic industry. Through the integration of size-optimized Au NPs into mc-Si solar cells, we show that the light absorption in the active layer of solar cells and the photocurrent as well as the external quantum efficiency (EQE) are consistently improved at longer wavelengths, while maintaining almost unchanged below the plasmon resonance wavelength. A low-cost and facile dip coating method, which is mostly preferred by the photovoltaic industry for scaling-up production, has been implemented to integrate the size-tailored Au NPs with solar cells. This study shows the suitability of plasmonic Au NPs to enhance the light absorption and the efficiency of optically thick and industrial mc-Si solar cells
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