Nanowire array photovoltaics: Radial disorder versus design for optimal efficiency

Björn C P Sturmberg; Kokou B. Dossou; Lindsay C. Botten; Ara A. Asatryan; Christopher G. Poulton; Ross C. McPhedran; C. Martijn De Sterke

doi:10.1063/1.4761957

Nanowire array photovoltaics: Radial disorder versus design for optimal efficiency

Björn C P Sturmberg^*, Kokou B. Dossou, Lindsay C. Botten, Ara A. Asatryan, Christopher G. Poulton, Ross C. McPhedran, C. Martijn De Sterke

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

38 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Solar cell designs based on disordered nanostructures tend to have higher efficiencies than structures with uniform absorbers, though the reason is poorly understood. To resolve this, we use a semi-analytic approach to determine the physical mechanism leading to enhanced efficiency in arrays containing nanowires with a variety of radii. We use our findings to systematically design arrays that outperform randomly composed structures. An ultimate efficiency of 23.75 is achieved with an array containing 30 silicon, an increase of almost 10 over a homogeneous film of equal thickness.

Original language	English
Article number	173902
Pages (from-to)	173902-1-173902-4
Number of pages	4
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	101
Issue number	17
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4761957
Publication status	Published - 22 Oct 2012
Externally published	Yes

Access to Document

10.1063/1.4761957

Cite this

@article{ec212588dcf94f2b9fcd4aad6f947d58,

title = "Nanowire array photovoltaics: Radial disorder versus design for optimal efficiency",

abstract = "Solar cell designs based on disordered nanostructures tend to have higher efficiencies than structures with uniform absorbers, though the reason is poorly understood. To resolve this, we use a semi-analytic approach to determine the physical mechanism leading to enhanced efficiency in arrays containing nanowires with a variety of radii. We use our findings to systematically design arrays that outperform randomly composed structures. An ultimate efficiency of 23.75 is achieved with an array containing 30 silicon, an increase of almost 10 over a homogeneous film of equal thickness.",

author = "Sturmberg, {Bj{\"o}rn C P} and Dossou, {Kokou B.} and Botten, {Lindsay C.} and Asatryan, {Ara A.} and Poulton, {Christopher G.} and McPhedran, {Ross C.} and {Martijn De Sterke}, C.",

year = "2012",

month = oct,

day = "22",

doi = "10.1063/1.4761957",

language = "English",

volume = "101",

pages = "173902--1--173902--4",

journal = "Applied Physics Letters",

issn = "0003-6951",

publisher = "American Institute of Physics",

number = "17",

}

Nanowire array photovoltaics : Radial disorder versus design for optimal efficiency. / Sturmberg, Björn C P; Dossou, Kokou B.; Botten, Lindsay C.; Asatryan, Ara A.; Poulton, Christopher G.; McPhedran, Ross C.; Martijn De Sterke, C.

In: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 101, No. 17, 173902, 22.10.2012, p. 173902-1-173902-4.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Nanowire array photovoltaics

T2 - Radial disorder versus design for optimal efficiency

AU - Sturmberg, Björn C P

AU - Dossou, Kokou B.

AU - Botten, Lindsay C.

AU - Asatryan, Ara A.

AU - Poulton, Christopher G.

AU - McPhedran, Ross C.

AU - Martijn De Sterke, C.

PY - 2012/10/22

Y1 - 2012/10/22

N2 - Solar cell designs based on disordered nanostructures tend to have higher efficiencies than structures with uniform absorbers, though the reason is poorly understood. To resolve this, we use a semi-analytic approach to determine the physical mechanism leading to enhanced efficiency in arrays containing nanowires with a variety of radii. We use our findings to systematically design arrays that outperform randomly composed structures. An ultimate efficiency of 23.75 is achieved with an array containing 30 silicon, an increase of almost 10 over a homogeneous film of equal thickness.

AB - Solar cell designs based on disordered nanostructures tend to have higher efficiencies than structures with uniform absorbers, though the reason is poorly understood. To resolve this, we use a semi-analytic approach to determine the physical mechanism leading to enhanced efficiency in arrays containing nanowires with a variety of radii. We use our findings to systematically design arrays that outperform randomly composed structures. An ultimate efficiency of 23.75 is achieved with an array containing 30 silicon, an increase of almost 10 over a homogeneous film of equal thickness.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84868018435&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1063/1.4761957

DO - 10.1063/1.4761957

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84868018435

VL - 101

SP - 173902-1-173902-4

JO - Applied Physics Letters

JF - Applied Physics Letters

SN - 0003-6951

IS - 17

M1 - 173902

ER -

Nanowire array photovoltaics: Radial disorder versus design for optimal efficiency

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this