Light trapping in thin film crystalline silicon solar cells using Multi-Scale photonic topological insulators. (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ali Shameli, Mohammad; Yousefi, Leila
• Is Part Of: Optics & laser technology. Volume 145(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: Photonic Topological Insulators -- Metasurfaces -- Thin-film solar cells -- Crystalline silicon -- Short circuit current; Optics -- Periodicals; Lasers -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 621.366
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optlastec.2021.107457
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0030-3992

Abstract

Highlights: When photonic topological insulators are integrated inside the active layer of the solar cell, light trapping can happen. Light trapping happens through excitation of edge states. The excited edge modes travel laterally in the solar cell and therefore have a more chance to be absorbed in the cell, resulting in a short circuit current enhancement. Using multi-scale photonic topological insulators operating at different wavelengths increase the absorption enhancement in a wider range of wavelengths. Abstract: In this paper, a new method is proposed to trap sunlight in the active layer of thin film solar cells. In the proposed technique, multi-scale photonic topological insulators (PTI) realized by photonic crystals, are integrated inside the active layer of a thin film solar cell in order to trap sunlight in the cell. The trapping is realized by excitation of edge states supported by the designed topological insulator. The performance of the proposed solar cell with the topological insulator inside is investigated through full wave numerical analysis. Numerical results show that the proposed method enhances the absorption of the solar spectrum inside the cell in a wide range of wavelengths, and also for different angles of incidence. The short circuit current provided by the proposed solar cell is numerically calculated illustrating a value of 27.72 mA / c m 2 for a normally incident light which is 47% higher than a simple solar cell without topological insulator inside.