Nanosphere Coatings on Silicon Thin Film Photovoltaics

这笔赠款为能够开发数字工具和纳米制造工艺的研究提供资金，以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在不引入额外表面复合的情况下提高太阳能效率，而且还可以降低制造工艺和成本。开发的数值工具将在同时考虑有序和无序结构的同时，确定提高效率的最佳结构。将对最佳结构进行详细的模拟，以确定散射和耳语走廊模式的作用，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将纳米球涂层组装到硅薄膜光伏上。制造的样品将进行结构、光学和电子表征以验证模拟。这项研究的结果将有助于改进下一代太阳能电池的设计。这也可能对其他利用耳语画廊模式的纳米光子应用产生深远影响，如光学滤光器和生物传感器。预计在太阳能电池、拓扑优化和纳米制造领域将产生广泛影响。该项目还将通过开放源码软件开发、各种教育模块的引入以及参与皮特多样性办公室的立即投资夏季计划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.