A Comparative Study of a Novel Anti-reflective Layer to Improve the Performance of a Thin-Film GaAs Solar Cell by Embedding Plasmonic Nanoparticles

In this research work, a systematic design of a novel anti-reflective layer using embedded plasmonic nanoparticles is investigated for a thin-film GaAs solar cell. First, an anti-reflective layer that is made from ITO or SiO2 is assumed in which Al nanoparticles are embedded inside them to manipulate the absorption and hence the photocurrent of a 500-nm GaAs solar cell. It is investigated that the Al nanoparticles embedded inside the anti-reflective coating improve the photocurrent of a GaAs solar cell. For instance, the 15.37 mA photocurrent is obtained for 500-nm bare GaAs cell, and it reached to 17.25 mA/cm2 and 20.18 mA/cm2 when an ITO anti-reflection is used with Al nanoparticles on top and inside that, respectively. It increases to 21.94 mA/cm2 and 24.98 mA/cm2 in the case of the anti-reflective layer made from SiO2 and Al nanoparticles at the top side or inside that, respectively. Finally, using a double anti-reflective layer that is made from SiO2-TiO2, the maximum photocurrents of 23.79 mA/cm2 and 24.68 mA /cm2 are obtained when Al nanoparticles are at the top side or inside that, respectively. The simulation results show that the embedding Al nanoparticles in the anti-reflective layer can improve the photocurrent of a thin-film GaAs solar cell.