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High-performance Thin-Film Solar Solar Cells Based on AlGaAs/GaAs Heterojunction and Localized Surface Plasmon Oscillations

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Abstract

Traditional solar cells face the challenges of high cost and limited conversion efficiency, which seriously limits their promotion in practical applications. Therefore, this article proposes a novel GaAs thin-film solar cell based on algae’s/GaAs heterojunction. It utilizes the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method to simulate the propagation of electromagnetic waves and the process of light absorption in the cell under specific boundary conditions. The simulation experimental results demonstrate that the introduction of indium tin oxide (ITO) and Ag plasma into solar cell structure significantly enhances the light trapping capability of the cell. Under the irradiation of standard light AM1.5, the proposed cell structure maintains an absorption rate of more than 95% in the wavelength range of 300–743 nm, with an average absorption rate of 97.29%. Especially at the wavelength of 547 nm, it has an absorption rate of up to 99.87%. In addition, the short-circuit current is 30.152 mA/cm2, the open-circuit voltage is 1.226 V, and the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) is increased to 33.22%. The research result indicates when light illuminates the surface of the metal particles after incorporating Ag nanoparticles into the ITO grating, the free electrons within the metal are excited, resulting in a resonance effect. This allows for a highly concentrated and localized electromagnetic wave on the metal surface, which improving the solar cell’s absorption efficiency of sunlight. The research will promote the development of photovoltaic technology and provide an effective strategy and reference for the manufacture of high-performance thin-film solar cells.

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Data Availability

Data underlying the results presented in this paper can be obtained from the authors upon reasonable request.

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Funding

The study is funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51965007); Guangxi Natural Science Foundation (2023GXNSFAA026015); Open Project Funds for the Key Laboratory of Space Photoelectric Detection and Perception (Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (No. NJ2023029-5); Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (NO.NJ2023029).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Electronic Engineering, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541004, China

    Sunlong Lin & Jun Zhu

  2. Key Laboratory of Space Photoelectric Detection and Perception, (Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, No.29 Yudao Street, Nanjing, 210016, China

    Jun Zhu

Authors
  1. Sunlong Lin
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  2. Jun Zhu
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Contributions

Sunlong Lin: analyzed and interpreted the data; wrote the paper. Jun Zhu: analyzed and interpreted the data. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jun Zhu.

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Lin, S., Zhu, J. High-performance Thin-Film Solar Solar Cells Based on AlGaAs/GaAs Heterojunction and Localized Surface Plasmon Oscillations. Plasmonics 19, 973–983 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-023-02058-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-023-02058-7

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