Conditions Extrêmes et Matériaux : Haute Température et Irradiation
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2015

ACL
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P.Yu, J.P.Blondeau, C.Andreazza, E.Ntsoenzok, J.Roussel, P.Dutheil, A.L.Thomann, A.Caillard, E.Mustapha, J.Meot, 'Influence of Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) for performance improvement of a-Si:H photovoltaic cells', Plasmonics 10 691-701 (2015) doi:10.1007/s11468-014-9855-4

The efficiency of thin-film solar cells using a-Si:H is limited by the decrease in a-Si:H layer optical path length and its poor light absorption at red and NIR wavelengths. Metal NPs such as Au have been shown to increase the absorption in the active material and the cell performances, by exhibiting localized surface plasmon (LSP) resonances. Our work’s goal is to understand NPs influence in such cells, and to perform an optimal structure by increasing the amount of light absorbed within the cell using NPs scattering. Modeling based on Mie theory is first carried out using bulk Palik data for Au spheres with various diameters and refractive medium indexes. Using modeling results, Au layers were deposited on glass and SnO2 substrates either by thermal evaporation in vacuum or sputtering, followed by thermal annealing (200 ~ 500°C) in order to promote the NPs growth. MEB pictures show quasi-spherical Au NPs shape with an average size around 100nm depending of the deposited layer and the annealing temperature and time. This diameter range switches extinction of NPs in scattering regime. Annealing temperature strongly affects the NPs morphology. Surface coverage decreases and sphericity appears to increase with T. UV-Visible spectroscopy displays distinct LSP resonances around 672nm after annealing with a red shift while T increases. Based on these results, the thin films a-Si:H solar cells with Au NPs are realized and studied. Confirmed with the modeling results and the experimental values, the configuration in NIP junction with the Au NPs in back contact can optimize the photovoltaic properties, by the backscattering of incident light.