Optimization of Antireflection Coating Design Using PC1D Simulation for c - Si Solar Cell Application

Minimizing the photon losses by depositing an anti-reflection layer can increase the conversion efficiency of the solar cells. In this paper, the impact of anti-reflection coating (ARC) for enhancing the efficiency of silicon solar cells is presented. Initially, the refractive indices and reflectance of various ARC materials were computed numerically using the OPAL2 calculator. After which, the reflectance of SiO2,TiO2,SiNx with different refractive indices (n) were used for analyzing the performance of a silicon solar cells coated with these materials using PC1D simulator. SiNx and TiO2 as single-layer anti-reflection coating (SLARC) yielded a short circuit current density (J(sc)) of 38.4 mA/cm(2) and 38.09mA/cm(2) respectively. Highest efficiency of 20.7% was obtained for the SiNx ARC layer with n=2.15. With Double-layer anti-reflection coating (DLARC), the J(sc) improved by & SIM;0.5 mA/cm(2) for SiO2/SiNx layer and hence the efficiency by 0.3%. Blue loss reduces significantly for the DLARC compared with SLARC and hence increase in J(sc) by 1 mA/cm2 is observed. The J(sc) values obtained is in good agreement with the reflectance values of the ARC layers. The solar cell with DLARC obtained from the study showed that improved conversion efficiency of 21.1% is obtained. Finally, it is essential to understand that the key parameters identified in this simulation study concerning the DLARC fabrication will make experimental validation faster and cheaper.

Automated summary

This paper explores the impact of anti-reflection coating on the efficiency of silicon solar cells, finding that SiNx and TiO2 as single-layer anti-reflection coating can increase current density, with the highest efficiency of 20.7% achieved with SiNx ARC layer. Double-layer anti-reflection coating can further improve current density, resulting in an enhanced conversion efficiency of 21.1%.