Learning to appreciate the maxim #x201C;less is more#x201D;

摘要

We present the profound performance enhancements experienced when an ultra-thin nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si) film is utilized in our light and carrier collection management (LCCM) architecture (US Patent 8,294,025). We begin by establishing theoretical short circuit current density (Jsc) values for planar nc-Si devices. Numerical simulation results for the same thicknesses conformally coated over nano-element arrays are then given. Jsc values above 30mA/cm2 are shown for the nc-Si LCCM cells for nc-Si films as thin as 200nm. To attain a Jsc of 35.5mA/cm2, the LCCM solar cell architecture reduces the required nc-Si volume by 98.3% compared to the planar solar cell that would match that performance. The minimization of material while maximizing performance has obvious implications for cost/watt savings. The architectural dimensions that are the product of this study are invaluable for cell manufacturing.