Simulation of Solar Cells with Integration of Optical Nanoantennas

Abstract

The evolution of nanotechnology has provided a better understanding of light-matter interaction at a subwavelength scale and has led to the development of new devices that can possibly play an important role in future applications. Nanoantennas are an example of such devices, having gained interest in recent years for their application in the field of photovoltaic technology at visible and infrared wavelengths, due to their ability to capture and confine energy of free-propagating waves. This property results from a unique phenomenon called extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) where, due to resonant behavior, light passing through subwavelength apertures in a metal film can be transmitted in greater orders of magnitude than that predicted by classical theories. During this study, 2D and 3D models featuring a metallic nanoantenna array with subwavelength holes coupled to a photovoltaic cell are simulated using a Finite Element Tool. These models present with slight variations between them, such as the position of the nanoantenna within the structure, the holes’ geometry and the type of cell, in order to verify how its optical response is affected. The results demonstrate that the coupling of nanoantennas to solar cells can be advantageous and improve the capture and absorption of radiation. It is concluded that aperture nanoantennas may concentrate radiation, meaning that is possible to tune the electric field peak and adjust absorption on the main layers. This may be important because it might be possible to adjust solar cell performance to the global regions’ solar spectrum by only adjusting the nanoantenna parameters.