Improved electric energy production of solar cell using small silver nanoparticles

Abstract

The influence of small Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on the all-day electric energy production of solar cells has been investigated. The small Ag NPs were deposited on the cell surface by the magnetron sputtering system. The cell without NPs is used as a reference cell. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) curves indicate that the performance of cell with 8% nanoparticle coverage is better than that of other cells in the long wavelength band. The maximum power-angle curves indicate that the small Ag NPs can effectively improve the all-day electric energy production of solar cell. Comparing with the values of reference cell, the half peak height of maximum power for cell optimized increases by 65%, and the half peak breadth of maximum power for cell optimized broadens by 3%. The enhancements of optimum operating current and optimum operating voltage lead directly to the enhancement of maximum power.