Optimization of amorphous silicon solar cells through photonic crystals for enhanced optical properties
Abstract Amorphous silicon solar cells have emerged as a promising technology for harnessing solar energy due to their cost-effectiveness and flexibility. However, their efficiency is constrained by low sunlight absorption resulting from the material’s indirect band gap and intrinsic properties of a...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00443-2 |
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| author | Hassan Sayed Ashour M. Ahmed Ali Hajjiah M. A. Abdelkawy Arafa H. Aly |
| author_facet | Hassan Sayed Ashour M. Ahmed Ali Hajjiah M. A. Abdelkawy Arafa H. Aly |
| author_sort | Hassan Sayed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Amorphous silicon solar cells have emerged as a promising technology for harnessing solar energy due to their cost-effectiveness and flexibility. However, their efficiency is constrained by low sunlight absorption resulting from the material’s indirect band gap and intrinsic properties of amorphous silicon. This study employs theoretical modeling to investigate the impact of incorporating one-dimensional ternary photonic crystals (1D-Ternary-PCs) as anti-reflection coatings (ARCs) and one-dimensional binary PCs as back reflectors to enhance the optical properties of amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cells. The investigation utilizes the COMSOL Multiphysics program, based on the finite element method (FEM), to simulate and analyze the optical characteristics of PC-enhanced a-Si solar cells. The modeling involves designing and optimizing ternary PC structures, followed by numerical simulations to assess their anti-reflection performance. Additionally, designing one-dimensional binary PCs optimized to create a photonic band gap within the transmitted spectrum to act as a back reflector. The study systematically examines the impact of various parameters such as layer thickness, refractive indices, and incident angles on the optical properties of PC-enhanced a-Si solar cells, offering insights into the potential of one-dimensional PCs as effective back reflectors and ARCs for enhancing light absorbance and overall efficiency. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-50cb909f4f3442979a7b15c4aaabbfcd |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-50cb909f4f3442979a7b15c4aaabbfcd2025-08-20T01:51:31ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111810.1038/s41598-025-00443-2Optimization of amorphous silicon solar cells through photonic crystals for enhanced optical propertiesHassan Sayed0Ashour M. Ahmed1Ali Hajjiah2M. A. Abdelkawy3Arafa H. Aly4Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences, TH-PPM Group, Beni-Suef UniversityPhysics Department, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU)Electrical Engineering Department, College of Engineering and Petroleum, Kuwait UniversityDepartment of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU)Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences, TH-PPM Group, Beni-Suef UniversityAbstract Amorphous silicon solar cells have emerged as a promising technology for harnessing solar energy due to their cost-effectiveness and flexibility. However, their efficiency is constrained by low sunlight absorption resulting from the material’s indirect band gap and intrinsic properties of amorphous silicon. This study employs theoretical modeling to investigate the impact of incorporating one-dimensional ternary photonic crystals (1D-Ternary-PCs) as anti-reflection coatings (ARCs) and one-dimensional binary PCs as back reflectors to enhance the optical properties of amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cells. The investigation utilizes the COMSOL Multiphysics program, based on the finite element method (FEM), to simulate and analyze the optical characteristics of PC-enhanced a-Si solar cells. The modeling involves designing and optimizing ternary PC structures, followed by numerical simulations to assess their anti-reflection performance. Additionally, designing one-dimensional binary PCs optimized to create a photonic band gap within the transmitted spectrum to act as a back reflector. The study systematically examines the impact of various parameters such as layer thickness, refractive indices, and incident angles on the optical properties of PC-enhanced a-Si solar cells, offering insights into the potential of one-dimensional PCs as effective back reflectors and ARCs for enhancing light absorbance and overall efficiency.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00443-2Amorphous silicon solar cellsPhotonic crystalsAnti-reflection coatings (ARCs)COMSOL multiphysics |
| spellingShingle | Hassan Sayed Ashour M. Ahmed Ali Hajjiah M. A. Abdelkawy Arafa H. Aly Optimization of amorphous silicon solar cells through photonic crystals for enhanced optical properties Scientific Reports Amorphous silicon solar cells Photonic crystals Anti-reflection coatings (ARCs) COMSOL multiphysics |
| title | Optimization of amorphous silicon solar cells through photonic crystals for enhanced optical properties |
| title_full | Optimization of amorphous silicon solar cells through photonic crystals for enhanced optical properties |
| title_fullStr | Optimization of amorphous silicon solar cells through photonic crystals for enhanced optical properties |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimization of amorphous silicon solar cells through photonic crystals for enhanced optical properties |
| title_short | Optimization of amorphous silicon solar cells through photonic crystals for enhanced optical properties |
| title_sort | optimization of amorphous silicon solar cells through photonic crystals for enhanced optical properties |
| topic | Amorphous silicon solar cells Photonic crystals Anti-reflection coatings (ARCs) COMSOL multiphysics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00443-2 |
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