Enhancement of Light Absorption Efficiency of Solar Cell Using Dual

<p>In this research we study the effect of adding a single diffraction grating on top of a solar cell. We simulated the square diffraction grating, as well as triangular diffraction grating. The single square grating showed more favorable results, achieved 330% power improvement compared to 270% power improvement in the single triangular grating case.</p> <p>We simulated a triangle/triangle (top-bottom) and triangular/rectangular (top-bottom) grating cases. The Triangular grating achieved higher light absorption compared to rectangular grating. The best top grating was around 200nm grating period. We realized solar cell efficiency improvement about 42.4% for the triangular rectangular (top-bottom) grating.</p> <p>We studied the light transmitted power in a silicon solar cell using double diffraction triangular nano-grating. We simulated the solar cell behavior as it absorbs sunlight through its structure in various cases, results showed 270% increase of the weighted transmitted power when the top grating period (A_t) varies from 300nm to 800nm, and the bottom grating period (A_b) is at 500nm.</p> <p>We finally studied the effect of changing the location of the diffraction gratings with respect to the solar cell. We were able to increase the light efficiency by 120%. The study showed that the power absorbed by the solar cell is not sensitive to the grating location.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

MS in Electrical Engineering

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical Engineering

Year dc:date.available

2011

Author dc:creator

• Ellaboudy, Ashton

Contributors dc:contributor

• Xiaomin Jin

• photonic
• solar cell
• diffraction grating
• Electrical and Computer Engineering

Identifier

10.15368/theses.2011.227

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.calpoly.edu:theses-1713