Overview

During deposition of materials on nanotextured surfaces, the texture shape changes. Considering this non-conformal growth of layers significantly improves accuracy of optical simulations of thin-film solar cells. Using this model, these changes can be predicted.

Key features

• Prediction of changes in texture shape during deposition,
• Works on different materials and types of deposition.

Model

Two types of growth are combined in the model:

• ideal conformal growth (in vertical direction) and
• isotropic growth (in direction of local surface normal).

Using proper ratio between the two, we can successfully predict the changes in surface shape during deposition. Proper ratio is determined from cross-sectional images of deposited layers/cells on textured surfaces.

References

• M. Sever, B. Lipovšek, J. Krč, M. Topič, Optimisation of Surface Textures in Thin-Film Silicon Solar Cells with 3D Optical Modelling by Considering Realistic Layer Growth, in: EU PVSEC Proceedings, Frankfurt, Germany, 2012: pp. 2129–2131.
• M. Sever, B. Lipovšek, J. Krč, A. Čampa, G. Sánchez Plaza, F.-J. Haug, et al., Combined model of non-conformal layer growth for accurate optical simulation of thin-film silicon solar cells, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. 119 (2013) 59–66.
• J. Krc, M. Sever, M. Topic, The Two Approaches of Surface-Texture Optimization in Thin-Film Silicon Solar Cells, IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics. 3 (2013) 1156–1162.