Photonic crystal intermediate reflectors for micromorph solar cells: a comparative study.

Wave-optics analysis is performed to investigate the benefits of utilizing Bragg-reflectors and inverted ZnO opals as intermediate reflectors in micromorph cells. The Bragg-reflector and the inverted ZnO opal intermediate reflector increase the current generated in a 100 nm thick upper a-Si:H cell within a micromorph cell by as much as 20% and 13%, respectively. The current generated in the bottom muc-Si:H cell within the micromorph is also greater when the Bragg-reflector is used as the intermediate reflector. The Bragg-reflector outperforms the ZnO inverted opal because it has a larger stop-gap, is optically thin, and due to greater absorption losses that occur in the opaline intermediate reflectors.

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