Higher values of spectral response,absorption coefficient and external quantum efficiency of solar cell in the form of pyramids

This paper presents a study on spectral response, absorption coefficient and external quantum efficiency of solar cell in the form of pyramid [1, 2]. We investigate to what extent and under what conditions we want to take advantage of ray incidence Seven times [3, 4]. It is found that these analyses can be used to determine the optimal surface texture which provides the best light trapping for solar cells in terms of the total internal reflection occurring in the high-index medium at incidence angles larger than the nominal critical angle [3–9]. One of the main contributions of this paper is the analysis and quantification of the influence of the opening between the heads of the two closest pyramids in textured surface for solar cells and its application on the photovoltaic parameters. In this model we show that the material can have seven successive incident ray absorptions instead of five currently, where we changed the direction of the reflected ray, by identifying and install the angle between the two neighbouring pyramids, the incidence angle, the opening between the heads of the two closest pyramids and their height. Thus, with an angle between the two neighbouring pyramid fixed at 12° and for angle of incidence fixed at 84°. For these values of the angle between the two neighbouring pyramids and incidence angle, the opening between the heads of the two closest pyramids fixed at 2.10 μm for a pyramid height of 10 μm. This leads to the largest possible increase in optical efficiency, such as spectral response, Absorption Coefficient and External Quantum Efficiency. The results are in good agreement with the available literature.     

The influence of the opening between the heads of the two closest pyramids in textured surface for solar cells and its application on the spectral response

The work presented in this study is concerned the development of a new solar cell prototype in order to improve photovoltaic efficiency In this model we show that the material can have five and more successive incident ray absorptions instead of three currently, where we changed the direction of the reflected ray, by varying the angle between the two neighbouring pyramids, the incidence angle, the opening between the heads of the two closest pyramids and their height. Thus, with an angle between the two neighbouring pyramid varying between 24° and 12° and for angle of incidence varying between 78° and 84°. For these values of the angle between the two neighbouring pyramids and incidence angle, the opening between the heads of the two closest pyramids varied respectively from 4.25 to 2.10 μm for a pyramid height of 10 μm. This lead to a substantial increase of the spectral response and the photovoltaic efficiency.     

Possible improvement of solar cell efficiency

In this work we present the development of a new solar cell prototype in order to improve photovoltaic efficiency. In this model we show that the material can have three successive incident ray absorptions instead of two currently, by varying the incidence angle, the aperture between the summit of two neighbouring pyramids and their height. This study concerns in particular the photovoltaic parameters such as the spectral response. This model was checked for angles varying between 54 and 60° and for pyramid heights between 5 and 10 μm. For these values of incidence angle, the apertures between the summits of two neighbouring pyramids varied respectively from 14.54 to 11.54 μm for a pyramid height of 10 μm.     

新型添加剂对单晶硅表面金字塔形貌的影响

单晶硅表面微结构对晶体硅光电转换性能有非常重要的影响, 晶体硅表面微结构的调节技术一直是半导体、 太阳能电池领域研究的热点之一.利用碱液与单晶硅异向腐蚀特性的刻蚀技术, 在单晶硅表面可以获得布满金字塔的绒面, 但普通碱液刻蚀的绒面, 其金字塔大小、 形貌和分布随机性大, 不利于提高硅太阳电池的转换效率.在普通的碱腐蚀液中加入不同量的特种添加剂, 然后在相同的温度、 时间下刻蚀单晶硅表面, 通过观察样品表面SEM图, 发现在普通碱液中加入适量添加剂后刻蚀的单晶硅表面能形成均匀密集分布金字塔, 金字塔大小在2—4μupm 之间, 棱边圆滑, 表面金字塔覆盖率高; 用积分反射仪测量了样品的反射率曲线, 发现样品平均反射率下降到12.51%.实验结果表明, 在普通碱液中加入特种添加剂, 能控制单晶硅表面金字塔的大小和分布.     

单晶硅表面均匀小尺寸金字塔制备及其特性研究

表面织构是一种通过有效的光俘获增加短路电流从而提高太阳电池效率的主要途径之一.在加入间隙式超声和NaClO添加剂的碱性四甲基氢氧化铵(TMAH)溶液中对单晶硅表面进行织构化处理,研究超声与NaClO在织构过程中对金字塔成核和生长的影响,以及金字塔大小对高温工艺之后的单晶硅少子寿命的影响.研究表明,通过在织构溶液中加入间隙式超声控制气泡停留在硅片表面的时间和脱离硅片表面速度,增强了小尺寸金字塔的均匀分布.织构之后硅片在AM1.5G光谱下的加权平均反射率能够达到12.4%,在高温扩散和氧化之后少子寿命的大小与金字塔大小之间存在近似于指数衰减函数的关系. 关键词： 表面织构化 反射率 少子寿命 单晶硅太阳电池     

光致电化学法提高垂直结构发光二极管出光效率的研究

研究了在垂直结构发光二极管(VLED)器件中, 光致电化学法(PEC)刻蚀N极性n-GaN的速率受不同刻蚀条件(刻蚀浓度、刻蚀时间和光照强度)的影响. 并选择N极性n-GaN表面含有较理想六角金字塔结构(侧壁角为31°)的样品制成器件, 研究PEC刻蚀对VLED的欧姆接触和光电性能的影响. 结果表明, 与未粗化样品相比, PEC刻蚀后的样品接触电阻率明显降低, 形成更好的欧姆接触; 其电学特性有较好的改善, 光输出功率有明显提高, 在20 mA电流下光输出功率增强了86.1%. 对不同金字塔侧壁角度的光提取效率用时域有限差分法(FDTD)模拟, 结果显示光提取效率在侧壁角度为20°– 40°有显著提高, 在23.6° (GaN-空气界面的全反射角)时达到最大.     

Epitaxial growth of μm-sized Cu pyramids on silicon

Triangular and quadratic Cu pyramids were epitaxially grown on Si(111) and Si(100) substrates, respectively, by pulsed laser deposition at elevated substrate temperatures above 200°C as well as by post-annealing of closed Cu layers prepared at room temperature. In both cases, three-dimensional pyramids with edge lengths of up to 9 μm were obtained, as observed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Although the macroscopic shape is a pyramid, microscopically the islands consist of columnar grains (with lateral sizes of only about 50 nm at 260°C). The size and shape of the pyramids can be controlled by the substrate used, the amount of material deposited, and the temperature during deposition or annealing. Additionally, first hints were found that the pyramids can be aligned by structuring the substrate. The formation of such large pyramids is explained by a fast diffusion of Cu atoms on Si over distances of some μm and a high jump probability to higher pyramid layers.     

静态偏振风成像干涉仪中光在四面角锥棱镜中的传播规律研究

简述了自行设计的新型静态偏振风成像干涉仪的原理和四面角锥棱镜的分光机理;应用光线追迹法,推导出了主截面内任意光线在棱镜中的传播方向及出射点坐标,建立了平行光束经角锥棱镜后的偏向角和透过率的理论表达式;采用计算机模拟给出了偏向角和透过率随入射角的变化关系曲线;根据静态偏振风成像干涉仪的具体参数确定了四面角锥棱镜的侧面和底面夹角以及底边长度.该研究为静态偏振风成像干涉仪的研制提供了理论依据.     

Optimizing textured structures possessing both optical gradient and diffraction properties to increase the extraction efficiency of light-emitting diodes

The external quantum efficiency of a light-emitting diode (LED) is strictly limited by total internal reflection and Fresnel reflection effects. In this study, we sought to optimize light extraction by monitoring the shape effects of four kinds of periodic textured structures (nanorod, inverted rod, pyramid, inverted pyramid) on the surface of gallium nitride (GaN)-based LEDs. We employed the three-dimensional rigorous coupled waves approach to calculate the direct emissions at different incident angles on the various textured structures, and then determined an optimized structure that would improve the extraction efficiency of LEDs. The optical gradient of the inverted pyramid structure could decrease not only the Fresnel reflection at incident angles less than the critical angle but also the total internal reflection at incident angles greater than the critical angle. Many inverted pyramid structures at the GaN–air interface, with various sizes and periods, provided enhancement factors of greater than 150%.     

Stability issues of the next generation solar cells

Polymer, perovskite, and dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are promising technologies for next generation low cost photovoltaic cells. Among these, perovskite solar cells are the newest technology and have the highest efficiency, while DSSCs are closest to commercialization with several companies producing the DSSC materials and modules and existing DSSC installations. However, all three types of solar cells share a concern about lifetime and stability. For each type of devices, there are specific concerns and degradation mechanisms, and all of the devices require encapsulation and exhibit varying degrees of sensitivity to moisture, oxygen, elevated temperature and UV illumination depending on the device structure and materials used. We are discussing the stability and lifetime for each type of cells and future outlook of these technologies. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Influence of P<Superscript>+</Superscript>-ZnTe back surface contact on photovoltaic performance of ZnTe based solar cells

In order to improve photovoltaic performance of solar cells based on ZnTe thin films two device structures have been proposed and its photovoltaic parameters have been numerically simulated using Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator software. The first one is the ZnO/CdS/ZnTe conventional structure and the second one is the ZnO/CdS/ZnTe/P⁺-ZnTe structure with a P⁺-ZnTe layer inserted at the back surface of ZnTe active layer to produce a back surface field effect which could reduce back carrier recombination and thus increase the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of cells. The effect of ZnO, CdS and ZnTe layer thicknesses and the P⁺-ZnTe added layer and its thickness have been optimized for producing maximum working parameters such as: open-circuit voltage V_oc, short-circuit current density J_sc, fill factor FF, photovoltaic conversion efficiency η. The solar cell with ZnTe/P⁺-ZnTe junction showed remarkably higher conversion efficiency over the conventional solar cell based on ZnTe layer and the conversion efficiency of the ZnO/CdS/ZnTe/P⁺-ZnTe solar cell was found to be dependent on ZnTe and P⁺-ZnTe layer thicknesses. The optimization of ZnTe, CdS and ZnTe layers and the inserting of P⁺-ZnTe back surface layer results in an enhancement of the energy conversion efficiency since its maximum has increased from 10% for ZnO, CdS and ZnTe layer thicknesses of 0.05, 0.08 and 2 µm, respectively to 13.37% when ZnO, CdS, ZnTe and P⁺-ZnTe layer thicknesses are closed to 0.03, 0.03, 0.5 and 0.1 µm, respectively. Furthermore, the highest calculated output parameters have been J_sc?=?9.35 mA/cm², V_oc?=?1.81 V, η?=?13.37% and FF?=?79.05% achieved with ZnO, CdS, ZnTe, and P⁺-ZnTe layer thicknesses about 0.03, 0.03, 0.5 and 0.1 µm, respectively. Finally, the spectral response in the long-wavelength region for ZnO/CdS/ZnTe solar cells has decreased at the increase of back surface recombination velocity. However, it has exhibited a red shift and showed no dependence of back surface recombination velocity for ZnO/CdS/ZnTe/P?+?-ZnTe solar cells.     

Laser machined macro and micro structures on glass for enhanced light trapping in solar cells

In order to increase the efficiency of solar cell modules it is necessary to make the optimum use of light incident upon them. Much research has been done on improving light absorption through front surface texturisation and light trapping schemes. Laser light is commonly used in industry for various applications including marking and texturisation. By controlling laser parameters, it is possible to tailor macro and micro structures in most materials. The CO₂ laser used in this investigation emits radiation at 10.6 μm with the ability to pulse in the micro-second range. The laser was used to ablate grooved textures in the fused quartz material, used in this study as the light trapping medium, following which an analysis of the effects of the laser parameters on the texture geometry and surface morphology was performed through a combination of cross sectioning and scanning electron microscopy. Transmission through the textured glass was improved for most samples after acid etching. The light trapping effects of the best performing textures were analysed by investigating the effects on a silicon solar cell’s performance at varying angles of incidence. Results indicated a significant increase in light trapping when light was incident at acute angles. For an angle of incidence of 10^° a relative increase in efficiency of up to 51 % was observed.     

氧化随机织构硅表面对单晶硅太阳电池性能的影响研究

热氧化生长的SiO\-2 薄膜经常在高效单晶硅太阳电池中被用作扩散掩膜,化学镀掩膜,钝化层或者基本的减反射层.在这些高效太阳电池中,经常使用碱性溶液对单晶硅表面进行处理,得到随机分布的正金字塔结构的织绒表面,减少表面的光反射.表面氧化后的正金字塔太阳电池暗反向电流-电压呈现"软击穿"现象,并联电阻明显下降.研究结果表明引起这些现象的原因在于氧化正金字塔表面会导致在体内形成位错型缺陷,这些缺陷能够贯穿整个pn 结,导致太阳电池的并联电阻下降,同时载流子在位错型缺陷在能隙中引入的能级处发生复合,导致空间电荷区 关键词： 热氧化 随机织构 位错 太阳电池     

平板型太阳能聚光器的无漏光设计

针对平板型太阳能聚光器中出现的漏光问题,提出了无漏光聚光器的设计方法.该方法结合简单的数学计算与折射定律、反射定律推导出光线在光波导板中无漏光传播的最大距离理论公式,建立了无漏光聚光比与空气隙结构张角角度、主聚光器高度和宽度之间的数学模型,利用控制变量法分析了无漏光聚光比与各参数之间的关系.运用光线追迹软件对所设计的平板型无漏光太阳能聚光器进行光线追迹模拟,结果表明:在模拟光源选择存在0.27°的发散半角的太阳光源条件下,考虑光线在透射面处的菲涅耳损失和光学材料的吸收,在无漏光范围内实际最大聚光比达到698×、857×和1 032×时的聚光效率分别为88.2%、85.3%和80.2%;超过无漏光范围后随着聚光比进一步增大聚光效率下降较平缓.     

Surface wettability of silicon substrates enhanced by laser ablation

Laser–ablation techniques have been widely applied for removing material from a solid surface using a laser–beam irradiating apparatus. This paper presents a surface–texturing technique to create rough patterns on a silicon substrate using a pulsed Nd:YAG laser system. The different degrees of microstructure and surface roughness were adjusted by the laser fluence and laser pulse duration. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a 3D confocal laser–scanning microscope are used to measure the surface micrograph and roughness of the patterns, respectively. The contact angle variations between droplets on the textured surface were measured using an FTA 188 video contact angle analyzer. The results indicate that increasing the values of laser fluence and laser pulse duration pushes more molten slag piled around these patterns to create micro-sized craters and leads to an increase in the crater height and surface roughness. A typical example of a droplet on a laser–textured surface shows that the droplet spreads very quickly and almost disappears within 0.5167 s, compared to a contact angle of 47.9° on an untextured surface. This processing technique can also be applied to fabricating Si solar panels to increase the absorption efficiency of light.     

Silicon nitride transmission X‐ray mirrors

Transmission X‐ray mirrors have been fabricated from 300–400 nm‐thick low‐stress silicon nitride windows of size 0.6 mm × 85 mm. The windows act as a high‐pass energy filter at grazing incidence in an X‐ray beam for the beam transmitted through the window. The energy cut‐off can be selected by adjusting the incidence angle of the transmission mirror, because the energy cut‐off is a function of the angle of the window with respect to the beam. With the transmission mirror at the target angle of 0.22°, a 0.3 mm × 0.3 mm X‐ray beam was allowed to pass through the mirror with a cut‐off energy of 10 keV at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source. The energy cut‐off can be adjusted from 8 to 12 keV at an angle of 0.26° to 0.18°, respectively. The observed mirror transmittance was above 80% for a 300 nm‐thick film.     

Antiphase disorder in GaAs/Ge heterostructures for solar cells

Antiphase disorder in metal organic vapour phase epitaxy grown GaAs/(100)Ge heterostructures has been studied both in as-grown materials and in GaAs solar cells by chemical etching, transmission electron microscopy, and cathodoluminescence. All the samples are single domains at the surface due to the self-annihilation of antiphase domains whose size decreases as the misorientation angle increases. Completely antiphase domain-free epitaxy has been achieved for substrate miscuts greater than 3 degrees off towards [111]. A reversal in sublattice location has been found in the GaAs layers varying the misorientation angle and the growth temperature. A model to explain this result has been proposed based on the role of surface steps in the nucleation process. Strong interaction between antiphase boundaries and misfit dislocations has been found in all the heterostructures. In solar cells antiphase domains have been observed in high densities in the initial layer of GaAs deposited on Ge. The successful realisation of high efficiency solar cells is due to the overgrowth of these domains by single phase material over most of the wafer area.     

A Three-Dimensional Ray-Tracing Study of R-X Mode Waves during High Geomagnetic Activity

We further present a three-dimensional (3D) ray-tracing study on the propagation characteristic of the superluminous R-X mode waves during high geomagnetic activity following our recent two-dimensional results [J. Geophys. Res. 112(2007)A10214]. We perform numerical calculations for this mode which originates at specific altitude r=2.0R_E in the source cavity along a 70° night geomagnetic field line. We demonstrate that the ray path of the R-X mode is essentially governed by the azimuthal angle of the wave vector k. Ray paths starting with azimuthal angle 180° (or in the meridian plane) can reach the lowest latitude, but stay at relatively higher latitudes with the azimuthal angles other than 180° (or off the meridian plane). The results further supports the previous finding that the R-X mode may be physicallypresent in the radiation belts under appropriate conditions.     

氧化锌纳米线耦合硅金字塔微纳复合结构的制备及其自清洁特性研究

光伏器件粉尘堆积伴随的遮光效应极其严重,可导致太阳能电池的光电转换效率降低一半以上,这是任何其他提高光伏器件性能的高新技术所不能弥补的.本文根据Cassie-Baxter理论构建出一种基于光伏器件应用的超疏水自清洁微纳复合结构,即氧化锌纳米线耦合硅金字塔.通过调控硅金字塔的尺寸和均匀性,使其尺寸效应不被遮盖以符合存在微米构型的疏水要求,同时尽量不破坏硅光伏器件绒面的减反性能.本文采用水热法在金字塔表面生长氧化锌纳米线的方案,通过系统的实验设计,首次成功地制备了符合光伏器件应用的接触角高达154?,且接触角滞后小于10?的超疏水自清洁微纳复合结构.此外,我们不仅发现硅金字塔的刻蚀存在"高温促进硅金字塔刻蚀"的温度效应和硅金字塔顶部有"圆润-方正-圆润"的时间效应,还从物理上对高温促进刻蚀、晶体的各向异性刻蚀导致的硅金字塔和我们所制备的氧化锌纳米线耦合硅金字塔复合结构的陷光效应等进行了比较充分的分析.     

Simulation for light power distribution of 3D InGaN/GaN MQW LED with textured surface

In this paper, we introduce a full 3D simulation for light power distribution of an InGaN/GaN MQW LED with a textured surface. Device simulation was performed with the APSYS software to get power distribution of light sources inside the LED. Based on this, ray tracing simulation was carried out to get light power distribution outside the LED. During the process of ray tracing, the textured surface was treated as a special material interface whose reflectivity, transmittance and refraction angle are obtained with a Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method instead of using the usual Fresnel formulas for normal material interfaces. By comparing the ray tracing results with and without the textured surface, we found that the textured surface yields a smoother transmitted power distribution and greatly improved power extraction efficiency, which are comparable to experiment. These effects may be further improved by optimizing the texture geometry.