Skip to main content
Log in

Light harvesting improvement of polymer solar cell through nanohole photoactive layer

  • Published:
Optical and Quantum Electronics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A design of nanohole polymer solar cell is reported for light trapping improvement. The proposed design has shown a considerable enhancement in the optical and electrical parameters of the polymer solar cell based on a conventional blend of poly-3-hexylthiophene/[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) as an active material. In this study, 3D finite difference time domain method is used to simulate the light absorption in the nanohole structure. In addition, an electrical model is developed to calculate the electrical parameters of the polymer solar cell. The reported design has shown 28 % improvement in short circuit current density and overall efficiency alike.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Chen, L., Sha, W.E., Choy, W.C.: Light harvesting improvement of organic solar cells with self-enhanced active layer designs. Opt. Express 20, 8175–8185 (2012)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Chou, S.Y., Ding, W.: Ultrathin, high-efficiency, broad-band, omni acceptance, organic solar cells enhanced by plasmonic cavity with subwavelength hole array. Opt. Express 21, A60–A76 (2013)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • El Tayyan, A.A.: Dye sensitized solar cell: parameters calculation and model integration. J. Electron Dev. 11, 616–624 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  • Green, M.A.: Solar Cells; Operating Principles, Technology and System Applications. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs (1982)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, C., Povinelli, M.L.: Optical absorption enhancement in silicon nanowire arrays with a large lattice constant for photovoltaic applications. Opt. Express 17, 19371–19381 (2009)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, C., Povinelli, L.M.: Optimal design of a periodic, vertical silicon nanowire structures for photovoltaics. Opt. Express 19, A1148–1154 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, F., Qu, D., Xu, Q., Pan, X., Cui, K., Feng, X., Zhang, W., Huang, Y.: Efficiency enhancement in organic solar cells with extended resonance spectrum of localized surface plasmon. Photonics J., IEEE 5, 8400307–8400307 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Obayya, S.S.A.: Computational Photonics. Wiley, London (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  • Peters, M., Rüdiger, M., Bläsi, B., Platzer, W.: Electro-optical simulation of diffraction in solar cells. Opt. Express 18, A584–A593 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pinto, D., Obayya, S.S.A.: Improved complex-envelope alternating-direction-implicit finite-difference-time-domain method for photonic-bandgap cavities. J. Lightwave Technol. 25(1), 440–447

  • Pudasaini, A.R.P., Ayon, A.A.: Modeling the front side plasmonics effect in nanotextured silicon surface for thin film solar cells application. Microsyst. Technol. 19, 871–877 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tumbleston, J.R., Ko, D.H., Samulski, E.T., Lopez, R.: Electrophotonic enhancement of bulk hetero junction organic solar cells through photonic crystal photoactive layer. Appl. Phys. Lett. 94, 043305-1–043305-3 (2009)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Vervisch, W., Stéphane, B., Guillaume, R., David, D., Ludovic, E., Philippe, T., Jacques, J.S., Judikaël, Rouzo, L.: Optical-electrical simulation of organic solar cells: excitonic modeling parameter influence on electrical characteristics. Appl. Phys. Lett. 98, 2533061–2533063 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • You, J., Dou, L., Yoshimura, K., Kato, T., Ohya, K., Moriarty, T., Emery, K., Chen, C.C., Gao, J., Li, G., Yang, Y.: A polymer tandem solar cell with 10.6 % power conversion efficiency. Nat. Commun. 4, 1–10 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng, B., Gan, Q., Kafafi, Z.H., Bartoli, F.J.: Polymeric photovoltaics with various metallic plasmonic nanostructures. J. Appl. Phys. 113, 063109–063109-10 (2013)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. S. A. Obayya.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rahman, D.M.A., Hameed, M.F.O. & Obayya, S.S.A. Light harvesting improvement of polymer solar cell through nanohole photoactive layer. Opt Quant Electron 47, 1443–1449 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-014-0110-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-014-0110-1

Keywords

Navigation