Optimization of plasmonic cavity-resonant multijunction cells

Albert Lin; Sze-Ming Fu; Yan-Kai Zhong; Chi-Wei Tseng; Shih-yun Lai; Timothy Ching Kwok Lau

doi:10.1117/1.OE.52.6.064002

11 June 2013 Optimization of plasmonic cavity-resonant multijunction cells

Albert Lin, Sze-Ming Fu, Yan-Kai Zhong, Chi-Wei Tseng, Shih-yun Lai, Timothy Ching Kwok Lau

Author Affiliations +

Optical Engineering, Vol. 52, Issue 6, 064002 (June 2013). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.OE.52.6.064002

Abstract

Improving spectral photon harvesting is important for thin-film multijunction cells. We show that efficient spectral flux management can be achieved using genetic algorithm-optimized surface plasmon (SP) cavity-resonant type multijunction cells. We also observe that the excitation of the SP quasi-guided mode, Fabry–Perot mode, and SP polariton significantly enhance the photocurrent of multijunction cells. Two types of cavity structures are investigated. For the optimized SP intermediate reflector and bottom-grating cavity, the resonant cavity mode efficiently increases the long-wavelength absorption in the bottom cell by 63.27%, resulting in reduced absorbance asymmetry between the top and the bottom cells. Accordingly, the matched integrated absorbance is increased by 14.92%. For the optimized SP top- and bottom-grating (TBG) cavity, the integrated absorbance and current matching are improved due to the higher transmission through the solar cell front surface and the excitation of the quasi-guided mode with a more localized field in the bottom cell. The matched integrated absorbance is improved by 85.68% for the TBG cavity.

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Albert Lin, Sze-Ming Fu, Yan-Kai Zhong, Chi-Wei Tseng, Shih-yun Lai, and Timothy Ching Kwok Lau "Optimization of plasmonic cavity-resonant multijunction cells," Optical Engineering 52(6), 064002 (11 June 2013). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.OE.52.6.064002

Published: 11 June 2013

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