Size effect of gold nanoparticles on optical and electrical properties of plasmonic silicon solar cell

Abstract

One of important tasks of the day is increasing the efficiency and decreasing the cost of the silicon solar cells. There is method of introducing of metal nanoparticles into solar cells to improve its absorption and reduce transmission as well as reflection coefficients. When metal nanoparticles are introduced into silicon solar cell, nanoplasmonic effect will occur. Nanoplasmonic effect lead to modification of light spectrum and generation of extra hot electrons. Nano-plasmonic effect strongly depends on size of nanoparticles. Therefore, in this paper, effect of gold nanoparticles size on properties of silicon solar cell has been studied by using simulation. Gold nanoparticles with sizes of 4 nm, 6 nm, 9 nm, 11 nm and 21 nm have been input into emitter region of silicon solar cell in order to use both of nanoplasmonic-electric and nanoplasmonic-optic effects for enhancing efficiency of silicon solar cell. Open circuit voltage didn't change when size of nanoparticles has been changed from 4 nm to 11 nm. It dropped by 0.017 V when size of nanoparticles was 21 nm. Short circuit current has been maximum 6.7 mA/cm2 at nanoparticle size of 11 nm and minimum 3.1 mA/cm2 at nanoparticle size of 21 nm. It has been found from obtained results that gold nanoparticle with size of 11 nm affected significantly on properties of silicon solar cell. Besides, thickness of silicon solar cell can be decreased without dropping of efficiency by introducing gold nanoparticles. Because, main part of photons is absorbed near to metal nanoparticles inputted region.