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Simple design concept that can be implemented in any kind of solar cell Implementation is compatible with low-cost mass production technologies such as nano-imprint lithography.
About
About Opportunity: Our supercell design concept for light trapping can provide optimized performance that is compatible with low-cost and mass production techniques. Light absorption in thin films can be strongly enhanced when guided modes supported by the thin film are excited when the diffraction angle of the light coupled by the grating matches the characteristic angle of the guided modes. Our invention - a novel design concept for diffraction gratings - explores large period gratings because these can excite more modes than typical light wavelength scale gratings. To benefit from the larger period, we employ a supercell, i.e. a unit-cell consisting of fine features used to control the diffraction efficiency of the grating. The supercell is designed to shift the energy from the low diffraction orders, which cannot excite guided modes, to the higher diffraction orders, which are capable of exciting these modes. Key Benefits: Simple deisgn concept that can be implemented in any kind of solar cell Implementation is compatible with low-cost mass production technolgies such as nano-imprint lighography Light trapping using supercell binary gratings is substantially improved compared to common binary gratings and there is no additional fabrication cost Applications: Absorption enhancement is stable against variation of light's angle of incidence and therefore suitable for many environmental conditions Concept can be readily implemented in all types of gratings and also be combined with emerging techniques such as randomized structures IP Status: The international patent application No. PCT/GB2012/052550 covering the technology concept is published as WO2013/061028 with national phase patent applications being pursued in the United States of America and in Europe. There are no commercial parties involved in this research and the University of St Andrews would welcome enquiries from third parties interested in developing commercial applications for this thin film technology for solar cells. The University is looking to enter a commercial partnership with a company in the area of novel solar cell technology.