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Ultra‐thin GaAs solar cells with nanophotonic metal‐dielectric diffraction gratings fabricated with displacement Talbot lithography

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Camarillo Abad, Eduardo  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8617-0059
Chausse, Pierre 
Coulon, Pierre‐Marie  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9120-7554

Abstract

Abstract: Ultra‐thin photovoltaics enable lightweight flexible form factors, suitable for emerging terrestrial applications such as electric vehicle integration. These devices also exhibit intrinsic radiation tolerance and increased specific power and so are uniquely enabling for space power applications, offering longer missions in hostile environments and reduced launch costs. In this work, a GaAs solar cell with an 80‐nm absorber is developed with short circuit current exceeding the single pass limit. Integrated light management is employed to compensate for increased photon transmission inherent to ultra‐thin absorbers, and efficiency enhancement of 68% over a planar on‐wafer equivalent is demonstrated. This is achieved using a wafer‐scale technique, displacement Talbot lithography, to fabricate a rear surface nanophotonic grating. Optical simulations definitively confirm Fabry‐Perot and waveguide mode contributions to the observed increase in absorption and also demonstrate a pathway to short circuit current of 26 mA/cm2, well in excess of the double pass limit.

Description

Funder: Cambridge Trust; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003343


Funder: Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003141


Funder: Isaac Newton Trust; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004815

Keywords

RESEARCH ARTICLE, RESEARCH ARTICLES, ultra‐thin, GaAs, nanophotonic, displacement talbot lithography

Journal Title

Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1062-7995
1099-159X

Volume Title

Publisher

Sponsorship
H2020 European Research Council (853365)
UK Space Agency (PF2‐012)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/L015978/1, EP/M015181/1, EP/M022862/1)