Ultrathin crystalline-silicon solar cells with embedded photonic crystals

Abstract

Photonic crystals (PCs) can be used to trap light in thin-film solar cells to increase optical absorption. We fabricated ultrathin c-Si solar cells whose active layer was patterned into a two-dimensional PC with a square lattice of 450 nm diameter holes spaced at a period of 750 nm. The PC couples incident light into quasiguided modes and can be engineered to increase coupling and thus optimize optical absorption. Both short-circuit current and external quantum efficiency measurements show an enhancement in optical absorption, especially at longer wavelengths. Scanning photocurrent maps confirm the improved optical absorption in the PC regions.