Enhancing and Optimizing Optical Properties of Bifacial Solar Cells by Incorporating Metal Nanoparticles

Keywords: Silicon, Metal nanoparticles, Bifacial solar cell, Sentaurus TCAD, Nanoplasmonic effect

Abstract

In this study, the optical properties of a silicon-based bifacial solar cell with an n⁺–p–p⁺ structure were investigated using numerical simulation in the Sentaurus TCAD environment. Various metal nanoparticles were embedded in the emitter layer in a linear configuration to analyze their effects on light absorption and scattering. The study compared metal nanoparticles of platinum (Pt), gold (Au), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), and copper (Cu). All nanoparticles were modeled with the same diameter (5 nm), and the current-voltage (I–V) characteristics were obtained for each configuration. The simulation results showed that platinum nanoparticles yielded the highest short-circuit current density of 13.8 mA/cm², while silver nanoparticles yielded the lowest, at 5.027 mA/cm². Optimal parameters were observed with nanoparticles of 5 nm in diameter. Furthermore, it was found that the photon absorption density for the most efficient metal type was 1.81 times greater than that of the reference structure without nanoparticles. Additionally, the spectral sensitivity of silicon shifted toward the ultraviolet region in the presence of metal nanoparticles. The study demonstrated enhanced utilization of the visible light spectrum, and due to the embedded nanoparticles, the overall absorption coefficient of the bifacial solar cell increased by a factor of 1.33, aligning more effectively with the visible spectral range. 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

M.A. Green, Third generation photovoltaics: Advanced solar energy conversion. Springer Science & Business Media.

A. Cuevas, “The ultimate efficiency of bifacial solar cells,” Solar Energy, 112, 740-745 (2005).

R. Aliev, M. Komilov, N. Mirzaalimov, A. Mirzaalimov, S. Alive, I. Gulomova, and J. Gulomov, “Textured Bifacial Silicon Solar Cells Under Various Illumination Conditions,” Journal of Nano and Electronic Physics. 16(5), 05025-05031 (2024). https://doi.org/10.21272/jnep.16(5).05025

R. Aliev, M. Komilov, S. Aliev, and I. Gulomova, “Comparative analysis of conventional and bifaical solar cells under various illumination conditions,” Physics and Chemistry of Solid State, 25(4), 844–852 (2024). https://doi.org/10.15330/pcss.25.4.844-852

R. Aliev, M. Komilov, I. Gulomova, A. Mirzaalimov, N. Mirzaalimov, S. Aliev, and J. Gulomov, “Effect of temperature on the properties of a bifacial textured solar cell,” Vidnovluvana Energetika, 81(2), 97-105 (2025). https://doi.org/10.36296/1819-8058.2025.2(81).97-105

N.A. Mirzaalimov, R. Aliev, A.A. Mirzaalimov, B.D. Rashidov, S. Qahramonova, and T. Abdulazizov, “Hybrid Solar-Wind Micro-Energy Systems in 3D Format for City Streets,” in: Sustainable Living Solutions: Renewable Energy and Engineering. EDMSET 2024. Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation, edited by E. Dobjani, et al. (Springer, Cham. 2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-76837-8_20

L. Xu, et al., “Heat generation and mitigation in silicon solar cells and modules,” Joule, 5(3), 631–645 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JOULE.2021.01.012

Y.Q. Gu, C. R. Xue, and M. L. Zheng, “Technologies to Reduce Optical Losses of Silicon Solar Cells,” Advanced Materials Research, 953–954, 91–94 (2014). https://doi.org/10.4028/WWW.SCIENTIFIC.NET/AMR.953-954.91

B. Hoex, M. Dielen, M. Lei, T. Zhang, and C. Y. Lee, “Quantifying optical losses of silicon solar cells with carrier selective hole contacts,” AIP Conference Proceedings, 1999(1), 040010 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5049273

B. Kumaragurubaran, and S. Anandhi, “Reduction of reflection losses in solar cell using Anti Reflective coating,” in: 2014 International Conference on Computation of Power, Energy, Information and Communication, ICCPEIC, pp. 155–157, (2014). https://doi.org/10.1109/ICCPEIC.2014.6915357

S.J. Jang, et al., “Antireflective property of thin film a-Si solar cell structures with graded refractive index structure,” Optics Express, 19(S2), A108-A117 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.19.00A108

S.C. Baker-Finch, and K.R. McIntosh, “Reflection distributions of textured monocrystalline silicon: implications for silicon solar cells,” Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, 21(5), 960–971 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1002/PIP.2186

H. Park, S. Kwon, J.S. Lee, H.J. Lim, S. Yoon, and D. Kim, “Improvement on surface texturing of single crystalline silicon for solar cells by saw-damage etching using an acidic solution,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 93(10), 1773–1778 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SOLMAT.2009.06.012

X. Huang, S. Han, W. Huang, and X. Liu, “Enhancing solar cell efficiency: the search for luminescent materials as spectral converters,” Chemical Society Reviews, 42(1), 173–201 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1039/C2CS35288E

J. Gulomov, and R. Aliev, “The Way of the Increasing Two Times the Efficiency of Silicon Solar Cell,” Physics and Chemistry of Solid State, 22(4), 756–760 (2021). https://doi.org/10.15330/pcss.22.4.756-760.

J. Frank, M. Rüdiger, S. Fischer, J.C. Goldschmidt, and M. Hermle, “Optical Simulation of Bifacial Solar Cells. Energy Procedia,·27, 300-305 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2012.07.067

I.A. Yuldoshev, M.Q. Sultonov, and F.M. Yuldashev, Quyosh energetikasi” darslik, (Bookany print, Toshkent, 2022).

A. Blakers, N. Zin, K.R. McIntosh, and K. Fong, “High Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells,” Energy Procedia, 33, (2013).

H.A. Atwater, and A. Polman, “Plasmonics for improved photovoltaic devices,” Nature materials, 9(3), 205–213 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat2629

M.Z. Nosirov, et al., “Photoemission current from metal nanoparticles in silicon,” J. Nano- Electron. Phys. 16(5) 05026 (2024). https://doi.org/10.21272/jnep.16(5).05026

K.R. Catchpole, and A. Polman, “Plasmonic solar cells,” Optics Express, 16(26), 21793–21800 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.16.021793

R.A. Pala, J. White, E. Barnard, J. Liu, and M.L. Brongersma, “Design of plasmonic thin-film solar cells with broadband absorption enhancements,” Advanced Materials, 21(34), 3504–3509 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.200900331

V.E. Ferry, L.A. Sweatlock, D. Pacifici, and H.A. Atwater, “Plasmonic nanostructure design for efficient light coupling into solar cells,” Nano Letters, 8(12), 4391–4397 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1021/nl8022548

P. Spinelli, M.A. Verschuuren, and A. Polman, “Broadband omnidirectional antireflection coating based on subwavelength surface Mie resonators.” Nature Communications, 3, 692 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1691

J. Zhu, C.M. Hsu, Z. Yu, S. Fan, and Y. Cui, “Nanodome solar cells with efficient light management and self-cleaning,” Nano Letters, 10(6), 1979–1984 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1021/nl9034237

S.L. Khrypko, and G.K. Zholudev, “Modeling of the Electric Characteristics of Photovoltaic Cell Based on Silicon,” J. Nano- Electron. Phys. 3(3), 90-99 (2011).

A.M. Laoufi, B. Dennai, O. Kadi, and M. Fillali, “Study of the Effect of Absorber Layer Thickness of CIGS Solar Cells with Different Band Gap Using SILVACO TCAD,” Journal of nano- and electronic physics, 13(4), 04018 (2021). https://doi.org/10.21272/jnep.13(4).04018

R.V. Zaitsev, and M.V. Kirichenko. Improving the Physical Model of GaAs Solar Cells. Journal of Nano- And Electronic Physics 12(6), 06015 (2020). https://doi.org/10.21272/jnep.12(6).06015

Published
2025-12-08
Cited
How to Cite
Komilov, M. M., Aliev, R., Mirzaalimov, A. A., Aliev, S. R., Abduvohidov, M. K., MirzaalimovN. А., Ziyoitdinov, J., & Temirov, S. I. (2025). Enhancing and Optimizing Optical Properties of Bifacial Solar Cells by Incorporating Metal Nanoparticles. East European Journal of Physics, (4), 291-297. https://doi.org/10.26565/2312-4334-2025-4-27