Performance Investigation of Silicon Solar Cells using Grating Based Back Reflector

Abstract

In this paper, c-Si thin film solar cell design with different grating structures are studied by using finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. This designing approach is incorporated with an anti-reflection coating (ARC), Si-active region alongwith a top and bottom gratings. The performance and the ability of top (dielectric) and bottom (metal) gratings on the optical wave propagation within crystalline silicon thin film solar cells were investigated. The optimized nano-gratings play a key role to enhance the light absorption in thin film silicon solar cells. The design combination of single, binary and triangular grating structures is proposed to improve the light absorption in active region. We have compared the performance of designed solar cells and found optimal enhancement in light absorption for the case of triangular grating based solar cell design.