Improved performance of amorphous silicon solar cells via scattering from surface plasmon polaritons in nearby metallic nanoparticles

An engineered enhancement in short-circuit current density and energy conversion efficiency in amorphous silicon p-i-n solar cells is achieved via improved transmission of electromagnetic radiation arising from forward scattering by surface plasmon polariton modes in Au nanoparticles deposited above the amorphous silicon film. For a Au nanoparticle density of similar to 3.7x10(8) cm(-2), an 8.1% increase in short-circuit current density and an 8.3% increase in energy conversion efficiency are observed. Finite-element electromagnetic simulations confirm the expected increase in transmission of electromagnetic radiation at visible wavelengths, and suggest that substantially larger improvements should be attainable for higher nanoparticle densities. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.