Performance of GaAs Nanowire Array Solar Cells for Varying Incidence Angles
(2016) In IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics 6(6). p.1502-1508- Abstract
- Nanowire array solar cells show intrinsic light trapping and absorption enhancement properties due to the diffraction and optical resonances. Here, we report the effect of varying incidence angle on the performance of GaAs nanowire array solar cells. We provide experimental evidence that nanowire array solar cells are highly efficient at gathering diffuse or tilted incident light, even at very high incidence angles; hence, the performance of the nanowire solar cell is retained up to these high incident light angles. Specifically, the measured efficiency at an incidence angle of 60° is 95% of the efficiency at normal incidence. Moreover, our measurements show that a nonzero incidence angle is beneficial for wavelengths above 600 nm, which... (More)
- Nanowire array solar cells show intrinsic light trapping and absorption enhancement properties due to the diffraction and optical resonances. Here, we report the effect of varying incidence angle on the performance of GaAs nanowire array solar cells. We provide experimental evidence that nanowire array solar cells are highly efficient at gathering diffuse or tilted incident light, even at very high incidence angles; hence, the performance of the nanowire solar cell is retained up to these high incident light angles. Specifically, the measured efficiency at an incidence angle of 60° is 95% of the efficiency at normal incidence. Moreover, our measurements show that a nonzero incidence angle is beneficial for wavelengths above 600 nm, which results in an efficiency improvement by 0.5% absolute points. This increase is so large that we even measure a small increase in absolute output power at 15° tilt, thus, more than fully compensating for the reduced incoming power over the cell with increasing tilt. We show how this gain arises from an enhanced absorption in the part of the nanowire with a high probability of charge extraction. Thus, nanowires show great promise for the delivery of high efficiency in practical nontracking positioning conditions, as well as under diffuse light illumination. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/66dea45a-8920-435c-9893-743b11dd3664
- author
- Ghahfarokhi, O. M. ; Anttu, Nicklas LU ; Samuelson, Lars LU and Åberg, I
- publishing date
- 2016-11-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- III-V semiconductors, gallium arsenide, nanowires, solar cells, GaAs, absolute output power, diffuse light illumination, incidence angle, intrinsic light trapping, light absorption enhancement, nanowire array solar cells, optical resonance, Absorption, Epitaxial growth, Gallium arsenide, Indium tin oxide, Nanowires, Photovoltaic cells, Substrates, photovoltaic cells, tilted illumination, III-V semiconductors, gallium arsenide, nanowire (NW), solar cells, light absorption enhancement, photovoltaic cells
- in
- IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics
- volume
- 6
- issue
- 6
- pages
- 7 pages
- publisher
- IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:84994691708
- ISSN
- 2156-3381
- DOI
- 10.1109/JPHOTOV.2016.2604564
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- 66dea45a-8920-435c-9893-743b11dd3664
- date added to LUP
- 2017-04-28 12:36:12
- date last changed
- 2022-02-07 04:46:16
@article{66dea45a-8920-435c-9893-743b11dd3664,
abstract = {{Nanowire array solar cells show intrinsic light trapping and absorption enhancement properties due to the diffraction and optical resonances. Here, we report the effect of varying incidence angle on the performance of GaAs nanowire array solar cells. We provide experimental evidence that nanowire array solar cells are highly efficient at gathering diffuse or tilted incident light, even at very high incidence angles; hence, the performance of the nanowire solar cell is retained up to these high incident light angles. Specifically, the measured efficiency at an incidence angle of 60° is 95% of the efficiency at normal incidence. Moreover, our measurements show that a nonzero incidence angle is beneficial for wavelengths above 600 nm, which results in an efficiency improvement by 0.5% absolute points. This increase is so large that we even measure a small increase in absolute output power at 15° tilt, thus, more than fully compensating for the reduced incoming power over the cell with increasing tilt. We show how this gain arises from an enhanced absorption in the part of the nanowire with a high probability of charge extraction. Thus, nanowires show great promise for the delivery of high efficiency in practical nontracking positioning conditions, as well as under diffuse light illumination.}},
author = {{Ghahfarokhi, O. M. and Anttu, Nicklas and Samuelson, Lars and Åberg, I}},
issn = {{2156-3381}},
keywords = {{III-V semiconductors; gallium arsenide; nanowires; solar cells; GaAs; absolute output power; diffuse light illumination; incidence angle; intrinsic light trapping; light absorption enhancement; nanowire array solar cells; optical resonance; Absorption; Epitaxial growth; Gallium arsenide; Indium tin oxide; Nanowires; Photovoltaic cells; Substrates; photovoltaic cells; tilted illumination; III-V semiconductors; gallium arsenide; nanowire (NW); solar cells; light absorption enhancement; photovoltaic cells}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{11}},
number = {{6}},
pages = {{1502--1508}},
publisher = {{IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.}},
series = {{IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics}},
title = {{Performance of GaAs Nanowire Array Solar Cells for Varying Incidence Angles}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2016.2604564}},
doi = {{10.1109/JPHOTOV.2016.2604564}},
volume = {{6}},
year = {{2016}},
}