computational optical analysis of 3d modeled crystalline silicon substrates randomly textured

• DOI: 10.4229/eupvsec20202020-2cv.1.16
• Publication Date: 2020-01-01
• Authors: J. Almeida Silva; D. Pera; J.M. Almeida Serra; J. Canhoto Cardoso; Izaias Pereira da...; D. Vilhena; K. Lobato; Gonçalo Gaspar
• Keywords: Characterisation & Simulation of Si Cells; 0103 physical sciences; Silicon Materials and Cells; 01 natural sciences; 7. Clean energy

37th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 329-331<br/>This work proposes to demonstrate a workflow to access the optical performance of randomly texturized silicon substrates using a numerical 3D image reconstruction algorithm followed by Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) simulations based on direct integration of Maxwell’s time-dependent equations. The characterized samples were obtained by metal-assisted chemical etching and have no particular patterning and show irregular light-trapping structures with variable dimensions. The method was successfully validated by comparing the effective reflectivity for the solar spectrum AM1.5g with experimental measurements. The obtained results indicate a potential improvement of the accuracy of computational simulations of optical generation rates associated with highly complex micro and nanostructured surfaces to be applied to electro-dynamic simulations of photonic crystals as photovoltaic devices.<br/>