Enhanced light trapping for the silver nanoparticles embedded in the silica layer atop the silicon substrate

The optical properties of the structures with silver nanoparticles embedded in the silica layer atop the silicon substrate are simulated by the finite-difference time-domain method. The effects of nanoparticle size, period, silica layer thickness, and the angle of incidence of the illuminated light on optical transmissions are studied. It is found that there is the red-shift for the maximum of the total light transmitting into the silicon substrate as the silica layer thickness increases. The electric field intensity distributions and the average power densities for the structure with largest optical transmission is studied, and the strong electric field intensities are found in the silica regions surrounding to the silver nanoparticles, which can help the light energy going into the silicon substrate. By controlling the structure parameters, the optical transmissions of the structures with the silica layer can have higher optical transmissions than the cases without the silica layer. The silica layer plays the role as the graded refractive index layer between the air and the silicon substrate, and the light power from the incident wave can transmit into the silicon substrate with less optical reflections for choosing a suitable silica layer thickness. A guideline to design the structures with high optical transmissions for the solar spectra is given. This study cannot only be useful for the solar cells applications, but also other antireflection applications.