Zigzag nanowire arrays for high efficiency and low cost solar cells

Abstract

Semiconductor Nano Wires provide several ways to couple light into thin film solar cells. This enhanced light coupling is due to unique light trapping phenomena of these components. Here we investigate optical and electrical characteristics of a silicon asymmetric based nanowire solar cell with zigzag architecture arrays, and compare its performance with symmetric and asymmetric nanowire solar cells. We describe the strong optical absorption of our proposed design by finite-difference time domain simulations. Zigzag arrays show 18 percent enhancement in short current density and Power Conversion Efficiency (PCE) compared to cylindrical nanowires. This improved performance is due to efficient light confinement of zigzag nanowire arrays by increasing light trapping path for waves that are trapped inside the nanowires and conducting the waves that located in free space into the nanowires and substrate.