∼12% Efficiency improvement in a-Si thin-film solar cells using ALD grown 2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands

Farsad Imtiaz Chowdhury; Nazek El-Atab; Aaesha Alnuaimi; Ammar Nayfeh

doi:10.1109/PVSC.2016.7749602

∼12% Efficiency improvement in a-Si thin-film solar cells using ALD grown 2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands

Farsad Imtiaz Chowdhury
, Nazek El-Atab
, Aaesha Alnuaimi
, Ammar Nayfeh

Electrical Engineering

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands have been grown using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) on the surface of n-i-p a-Si:H solar cells. With the nanoislands, an average improvement of 10.6% in short circuit current density (Jsc) and 12.05% in efficiency compared to the reference cell are achieved. Improved spectral response is obtained from ZnO nanoislands coated cell with an improvement of 4.2% and 5.25% in peak EQE and IQE respectively. The coated cell also minimizes reflection between 340-520 nm indicating light scattering ability of these nanoislands. Further analysis suggests that overall enhancement can be attributed to photon energy downshifting with a reduction in reflectivity.

Original language	British English
Title of host publication	2016 IEEE 43rd Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2016
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages	318-322
Number of pages	5
ISBN (Electronic)	9781509027248
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2016.7749602
State	Published - 18 Nov 2016
Event	43rd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2016 - Portland, United States Duration: 5 Jun 2016 → 10 Jun 2016

Publication series

Name	Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference
Volume	2016-November
ISSN (Print)	0160-8371

Conference

Conference	43rd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2016
Country/Territory	United States
City	Portland
Period	5/06/16 → 10/06/16

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

down shifting
light scattering
solar cells
ZnO nanoislands

Access to Document

10.1109/PVSC.2016.7749602

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Cite this

Chowdhury, F. I., El-Atab, N., Alnuaimi, A., & Nayfeh, A. (2016). ∼12% Efficiency improvement in a-Si thin-film solar cells using ALD grown 2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands. In 2016 IEEE 43rd Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2016 (pp. 318-322). Article 7749602 (Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference; Vol. 2016-November). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2016.7749602

Chowdhury, Farsad Imtiaz ; El-Atab, Nazek ; Alnuaimi, Aaesha et al. / ∼12% Efficiency improvement in a-Si thin-film solar cells using ALD grown 2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands. 2016 IEEE 43rd Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2016. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2016. pp. 318-322 (Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference).

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title = "∼12\% Efficiency improvement in a-Si thin-film solar cells using ALD grown 2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands",

abstract = "2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands have been grown using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) on the surface of n-i-p a-Si:H solar cells. With the nanoislands, an average improvement of 10.6\% in short circuit current density (Jsc) and 12.05\% in efficiency compared to the reference cell are achieved. Improved spectral response is obtained from ZnO nanoislands coated cell with an improvement of 4.2\% and 5.25\% in peak EQE and IQE respectively. The coated cell also minimizes reflection between 340-520 nm indicating light scattering ability of these nanoislands. Further analysis suggests that overall enhancement can be attributed to photon energy downshifting with a reduction in reflectivity.",

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Chowdhury, FI, El-Atab, N, Alnuaimi, A & Nayfeh, A 2016, ∼12% Efficiency improvement in a-Si thin-film solar cells using ALD grown 2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands. in 2016 IEEE 43rd Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2016., 7749602, Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, vol. 2016-November, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., pp. 318-322, 43rd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2016, Portland, United States, 5/06/16. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2016.7749602

∼12% Efficiency improvement in a-Si thin-film solar cells using ALD grown 2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands. / Chowdhury, Farsad Imtiaz; El-Atab, Nazek; Alnuaimi, Aaesha et al.
2016 IEEE 43rd Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2016. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2016. p. 318-322 7749602 (Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference; Vol. 2016-November).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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T1 - ∼12% Efficiency improvement in a-Si thin-film solar cells using ALD grown 2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands

AU - Chowdhury, Farsad Imtiaz

AU - El-Atab, Nazek

AU - Alnuaimi, Aaesha

AU - Nayfeh, Ammar

PY - 2016/11/18

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N2 - 2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands have been grown using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) on the surface of n-i-p a-Si:H solar cells. With the nanoislands, an average improvement of 10.6% in short circuit current density (Jsc) and 12.05% in efficiency compared to the reference cell are achieved. Improved spectral response is obtained from ZnO nanoislands coated cell with an improvement of 4.2% and 5.25% in peak EQE and IQE respectively. The coated cell also minimizes reflection between 340-520 nm indicating light scattering ability of these nanoislands. Further analysis suggests that overall enhancement can be attributed to photon energy downshifting with a reduction in reflectivity.

AB - 2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands have been grown using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) on the surface of n-i-p a-Si:H solar cells. With the nanoislands, an average improvement of 10.6% in short circuit current density (Jsc) and 12.05% in efficiency compared to the reference cell are achieved. Improved spectral response is obtained from ZnO nanoislands coated cell with an improvement of 4.2% and 5.25% in peak EQE and IQE respectively. The coated cell also minimizes reflection between 340-520 nm indicating light scattering ability of these nanoislands. Further analysis suggests that overall enhancement can be attributed to photon energy downshifting with a reduction in reflectivity.

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KW - light scattering

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Chowdhury FI, El-Atab N, Alnuaimi A, Nayfeh A. ∼12% Efficiency improvement in a-Si thin-film solar cells using ALD grown 2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands. In 2016 IEEE 43rd Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2016. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. 2016. p. 318-322. 7749602. (Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference). doi: 10.1109/PVSC.2016.7749602

∼12% Efficiency improvement in a-Si thin-film solar cells using ALD grown 2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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