Beyond Conventional: Nanostructures as Key Enablers for Efficiency Enhancement in Thin Film Photovoltaics

Bikash Ranjan Mohapatra

doi:10.37591/jonet.v13i1.7786

Abstract

One of the key options for lowering the cost of photovoltaic production through the reduction ofactive material utilisation is thin-film solar cells. However, thin film solar cells' performance may beconstrained by low light absorption brought on by a low absorption coefficient or by an inadequatelythick active layer. Minimising expenses and increasing overall efficiency in thin-film solar cells needimproving light absorption that can be converted into electrical power. As a result, light trappingtechniques are crucial to reaching this objective. Reducing incident light reflection, increasing lightabsorption, and altering the device's optical response to suit various applications are the three basicgoals of light trapping techniques. Nanostructures employ essential sets of methods, includingprogressive refractive index matching, directed modes, localised plasmon resonances, and surfaceplasmon polariton modes, to achieve these objectives. In this paper, we review some of the mostrecent developments in the creation and use of nanostructures for light trapping in solar cells. Amongthem is the creation of solar cells with plasmonic and photonic nanostructures. These schemes' uniqueadvantages and difficulties are also covered and described.