The influence of laser heating on the performance of silicon solar cell with plasmonic Ag nanoparticles

Abstract

Have been prepared silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) as colloidal in water by pulsed laser ablation (PLA) method at optimum pulses energy. The (Ag NPs) were deposited over the Silicon solar cell surface using a spraying coating, and then the coated Si-surface was irradiated by successive overlapping pulses at optimum energy. The spectrum (190-1100 nm) was done to study the optical properties of Ag colloidal solution and its spectra exhibit the characteristic absorption bands with a peak located around the typical value for Ag NPs. Surface morphology of the enhanced Silicon solar cell was examined prior and next laser heating processes. Also, the measurements and calculations showed that the short circuit current Jsc, the overall efficiency ƞ and spectral response Rλ enhanced after these processes above the silicon surface of the solar cell. The relative increase in Jsc was (12.6%) owing to the plasmonic absorption for the incident light that trapped via the Ag NPs forward scattering and owing to the localized surface plasmons excitation in the (Ag NPs) embedded in the Si layer by the laser heating to the Si solar cell surface and the shock wave induced by laser pulses.