Nanostructured Back Reflectors for Solar Cell Application

<p>Increasing energy demand and concern over existing non-renewable energy resources has shifted interest towards clean and sustainable energy resources like photovoltaics. High-efficiency and low-cost thin films are a promising alternative to crystalline wafer based solar cells but back reflectors are needed to increase the absorption in these cells. Nano texturing is one of the widely used methods for fabricating solar cell back reflectors. Peak height and angle distribution are key parameters needed to understand the effect of texturing in solar cell back reflectors, and to make stable and low-cost broadband back reflector to enhance the light trapping in thin film solar cell. In this work, a quantitative characterization tool was developed to analyze textured aluminum back reflectors. The tool used Atomic Force Microscopy data to generate peak height and angle distribution. A series of sputtering deposited aluminum thin films at various sputtering conditions were analyzed to understand the effect of each. Surface roughness was minimum for medium power (90 W) and higher at lower power due to oxidation, and at high power (120 W) due to lack of relaxation time. Substrate temperature had the most significant effect on the surface morphology of the aluminum films. The texture height increased drastically when the substrate temperature was increased from 23°C to 127°C, while the peak angle decreased (peak sharpened).</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - University Access Only

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Year dc:date.available

2013

Author dc:creator

• Adhikari, Sushil

Contributors dc:contributor

• Qui Hua Fan

• Electrical and Computer Engineering

Statement dc:rights

• <p>In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted<br /><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/</a></p>

Language dc:language

en

Repository record dc:identifier

https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/1361

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:openprairie.sdstate.edu:etd-2363