Realizing high-efficiency omnidirectional n-type Si solar cells via the hierarchical architecture concept with radial junctions

Hsin Ping Wang, Tzu Yin Lin, Chia Wei Hsu, Meng Lin Tsai, Chih Hsiung Huang, Wan Rou Wei, Ming Yi Huang, Yi Jiunn Chien, Po Chuan Yang, Chee Wee Liu, Li Jen Chou, Jr Hau He*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

92 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hierarchical structures combining micropyramids and nanowires with appropriate control of surface carrier recombination represent a class of architectures for radial p-n junction solar cells that synergizes the advantageous features including excellent broad-band, omnidirectional light-harvesting and efficient separation/collection of photoexcited carriers. The heterojunction solar cells fabricated with hierarchical structures exhibit the efficiency of 15.14% using cost-effective as-cut Czochralski n-type Si substrates, which is the highest reported efficiency among all n-type Si nanostructured solar cells. We also demonstrate the omnidirectional solar cell that exhibits the daily generated power enhancement of 44.2% by using hierarchical structures, as compared to conventional micropyramid control cells. The concurrent improvement in optical and electrical properties for realizing high-efficiency omnidirectional solar cells using as-cut Czochralski n-type Si substrates demonstrated here makes a hierarchical architecture concept promising for large-area and cost-effective mass production.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)9325-9335
Number of pages11
JournalACS Nano
Volume7
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 22 2013

Keywords

  • Si heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells
  • chemical polishing etching
  • hierarchical architecture
  • high-efficiency
  • omnidirectional
  • photon management
  • radial junctions

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Materials Science(all)
  • Engineering(all)
  • Physics and Astronomy(all)

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