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Sunrise to sunset optimization of thin film antireflective coatings for encapsulated, planar silicon solar cells

Sunrise to sunset optimization of thin film antireflective coatings for encapsulated, planar silicon solar cells
Sunrise to sunset optimization of thin film antireflective coatings for encapsulated, planar silicon solar cells
We present an approach for the optimization of thin film antireflective coatings for encapsulated planar silicon solar cells in which the variations in the incident spectra and angle of incidence (AOI) over a typical day are fully considered. Both the angular and wavelength dependences of the reflectance from the surface, absorptance within the coating, and transmittance into the device are calculated for both single- and doublelayer antireflection coatings with and without thin silicon oxide passivation layers. These data are then combined with spectral data as a function of time of day and internal quantum efficiency to estimate the average short-circuit current produced by a fixed solar cell during a day. This is then used as a figure of merit for the optimization of antireflective layer thicknesses for modules placed horizontally at the equator and on a roof in the UK. Our results indicate that only modest gains in average short-circuit current could be obtained by optimizing structures for sunrise to sunset irradiance rather than AM15 at normal incidence, and fabrication tolerances and uniformities are likely to be more significant. However, we believe that this overall approach to optimization will be of increasing significance for new, potentially asymmetric, antireflection schemes such as those based on subwavelength texturing or other photonic or plasmonic technologies currently under development especially when considered in combination with modules fixed at locations and directions that result in asymmetric spectral conditions.
1062-7995
241-252
Boden, S.A.
83976b65-e90f-42d1-9a01-fe9cfc571bf8
Bagnall, D.M.
5d84abc8-77e5-43f7-97cb-e28533f25ef1
Boden, S.A.
83976b65-e90f-42d1-9a01-fe9cfc571bf8
Bagnall, D.M.
5d84abc8-77e5-43f7-97cb-e28533f25ef1

Boden, S.A. and Bagnall, D.M. (2009) Sunrise to sunset optimization of thin film antireflective coatings for encapsulated, planar silicon solar cells. Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, 17, 241-252. (doi:10.1002/pip.884).

Record type: Article

Abstract

We present an approach for the optimization of thin film antireflective coatings for encapsulated planar silicon solar cells in which the variations in the incident spectra and angle of incidence (AOI) over a typical day are fully considered. Both the angular and wavelength dependences of the reflectance from the surface, absorptance within the coating, and transmittance into the device are calculated for both single- and doublelayer antireflection coatings with and without thin silicon oxide passivation layers. These data are then combined with spectral data as a function of time of day and internal quantum efficiency to estimate the average short-circuit current produced by a fixed solar cell during a day. This is then used as a figure of merit for the optimization of antireflective layer thicknesses for modules placed horizontally at the equator and on a roof in the UK. Our results indicate that only modest gains in average short-circuit current could be obtained by optimizing structures for sunrise to sunset irradiance rather than AM15 at normal incidence, and fabrication tolerances and uniformities are likely to be more significant. However, we believe that this overall approach to optimization will be of increasing significance for new, potentially asymmetric, antireflection schemes such as those based on subwavelength texturing or other photonic or plasmonic technologies currently under development especially when considered in combination with modules fixed at locations and directions that result in asymmetric spectral conditions.

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Published date: 2009
Organisations: Nanoelectronics and Nanotechnology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 267717
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/267717
ISSN: 1062-7995
PURE UUID: eb4f1568-9121-482c-b5d9-44021b49d447
ORCID for S.A. Boden: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4232-1828

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 29 Jul 2009 10:50
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:21

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Contributors

Author: S.A. Boden ORCID iD
Author: D.M. Bagnall

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