Fabrication of composite structures for full spectrum photon management in solar energy utilization

摘要

Photovoltaic thermoelectric (PV-TE) coupling is an effective way to improve , expand solar energy utilization. The full spectral utilization of sunlight by a solar cell can be realized if the photonic active material absorbs light with the energy below its bandgap while the thermoelectric component absorbs the rest. This paper demonstrates the preparation of an ultra-broadband photon management structure for crystalline silicon cells for incorporation into PV-TE systems. This structure consisting of different nanostructures combined with thin-film layers is capable of reducing the device reflectivity and, thus, improving solar energy utilization.