Nanosphere Coatings on Silicon Thin Film Photovoltaics

该补助金为研究提供资金，使数字工具和纳米制造工艺的开发能够表征硅薄膜上纳米球涂层的结构-工艺-性能关系。这些涂层不仅有可能提高太阳能效率而不引入额外的表面复合，而且还可以减少制造工艺和成本。开发的数值工具将确定最佳结构，提高效率，同时考虑有序和无序的结构。将对最佳结构进行详细的模拟，以确定散射和回音壁模式的作用，以及确定涂层太阳能电池的角性能和评估传输特性。可扩展的，廉价的旋涂方法将被用来了解如何纳米球涂层可以组装到硅薄膜光致发光器件。制造的样品将在结构上，光学和电子特性，以验证模拟。这项研究的结果将导致下一代太阳能电池的设计改进。这也可能对其他利用回音壁模式的纳米光子应用产生深远的影响，如光学滤波器和生物传感器。一个广泛的影响，设想在太阳能电池，拓扑优化和纳米制造领域。 该项目还将通过开源软件开发、引入各种教育模块以及参与皮特多样性办公室的INVESTING NOW暑期项目来教育和推广下一代工程师。

This grant provides funding for research enabling the development of numerical tools and nanomanufacturing processes for characterizing the structure-process-performance relationships of nanosphere coatings on silicon thin films. These coatings have the potential to not only enhance solar efficiencies without introducing additional surface recombination, but also reduce manufacturing processes and costs. The developed numerical tools will determine optimal structures for enhanced efficiencies while considering both ordered and disordered structures. Detailed simulations will be performed on optimal structures to determine the role of scattering and whispering gallery modes as well as to determine the angular performance of coated solar cells and evaluate transport characteristics. Scalable, inexpensive spin coating methods will be used to understand how nanosphere coatings may be assembled onto silicon thin film photovoltaics.Manufactured samples will be characterized structurally, optically, and electronically to validate simulations.The results of this research will lead to improvements in the design of next-generation solar cells. This could also have a profound impact on other nanophotonic applications that make use of whispering gallery modes such as optical filters and biosensors. A broad impact is envisioned in the areas of solar cells, topology optimization, and nanomanufacturing. This project will also educate and outreach to next-generation engineers through open source software development, the introduction of various education modules, and involvement with the Pitt Office of Diversity's INVESTING NOW summer program.