Optimization of porous silicon multilayer as antireflection coatings for solar cells

E. OSORIO; RAÚL URTEAGA; L.N. ACQUAROLI; G. GARCÍA SALGADO; H. JUARÉZ; R.R. KOROPECKI

SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Año: 2011 vol. 95 p. 3069 - 3073

0927-0248

We present results of numerical simulation of optimized porous silicon (PS) multilayers used as antireflection coatings. For the simulations we introduce a figure of merit which has into account the transmittance of PS multilayers, the solar cell internal spectral response and the solar spectrum. Using a realistic range of porosities in the simulations (from 40% to 90%) we found an optimal three layers configuration which transfers to the cell 95.7% of the whole usable power. This value represents the 99.8% of the maximum attainable using the complete porosity range (from 0% to 100%). We fabricate the optimal PS three-layer, achieving a power transference to the substrate of 95.2%. In addition, taking advantage of the PS fabrication characteristics, we transferred a PS multilayer with specific optical response onto a crystalline silicon solar cell. This allows obtaining a tunable spectral response of the solar cell demonstrating the feasibility of transfer the porous antireflection coating onto any optical device.