Imprinting localized plasmons for enhanced solar cells

Nanotechnology. 2012 Sep 28;23(38):385202. doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/23/38/385202. Epub 2012 Sep 4.

Abstract

Imprinted silver nanovoid arrays are investigated via angle-resolved reflectometry to demonstrate their suitability for plasmonic light trapping. Both wavelength- and subwavelength-scale nanovoids are imprinted into standard solar cell architectures to achieve nanostructured metallic electrodes which provide enhanced absorption for improving solar cell performance. The technique is versatile, low-cost and scalable and can be applied to a wide range of organic semiconductors. Absorption features which are independent of incident polarization and weakly dependent on incident angle reveal localized plasmonic modes at the structured interface. Metallic nanostructure-PCPDTBT:PCBM samples demonstrate absorption enhancements of up to 40%. The structured interface provides light trapping, which boosts absorption at wavelengths where the semiconductors absorb poorly.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Crystallization / methods
  • Electric Power Supplies*
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Light
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Metal Nanoparticles / ultrastructure
  • Molecular Imprinting / instrumentation*
  • Nanotechnology / instrumentation*
  • Particle Size
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • Solar Energy*
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance / instrumentation*