Comparative Simulations of Conductive Nitrides as Alternative Plasmonic Nanostructures for Solar Cells

Christin David, Lejo Joseph Koduvelikulathu and Radovan Kopecek
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Christin David: Institute of Condensed Matter Theory and Optics, Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
Lejo Joseph Koduvelikulathu: International Solar Energy Research Center Konstanz, Rudolf-Diesel-Straße 15, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
Radovan Kopecek: International Solar Energy Research Center Konstanz, Rudolf-Diesel-Straße 15, 78467 Konstanz, Germany

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 14, 1-11

Abstract: Particle layers employing conductive transition metal nitrides have been proposed as possible alternative plasmonic materials for photovoltaic applications due to their reduced losses compared to metal nanostructures. We critically compare the potential photocurrent gain from an additional layer made of nanopillars of nitrides with other material classes obtained in an optimized c-Si baseline solar cell, considering an experimental doping profile. A relative photocurrent gain enhancement of on average 5% to 10% is observed, achieving for a few scenarios around 30% gain. The local field enhancement is moderate around the resonances for nitrides which spread over the whole ultraviolet and visible range. We can characterize two types of nitrides: nitrides for which the shading effect remains a problem similar to for metals, and others which behave like dielectric scatterers with high photocurrent gain.

Keywords: theory and simulation; conductive transition metal nitrides; nanostructures; solar cells (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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